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Games and Parties 
for Children 



Games and Parties 
for Children 



By 

Grace Lee Davison 

M 

Entertainment Editor^ The Delineator 




Boston 

Little, Brown, and Company 

1916 



GVf^-^^ 



Copyright, 1916, 
By Little, Brown, and Company. 

All rights reserved 
Published, September, 1916 



.'I'' 



SIP i'l l9!B 



Set up and electrotyped by J. S. Gushing Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. 
Presswork by S. J. Parkhill & Co., Boston, Mass., U.S.A. 



CU438316 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER 

I. The Wonderful Old Gamer . 


PAGE 

1 


II. 


Newer Games for CnTTiDREN . 


. 41 


III. 


Games for the Family . 


. 64 


IV. 


How TO Celebrate the Hotjdays . 


. 99 


V. 


Parties for Any Date . 


. 148 


VI. 


The Etiquette of Parties 


182 




Index 


. 189 



GAMES AND PARTIES FOR 
CHILDREN 

CHAPTER I 

THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 

The wonderful old games which we play 
at home or in school, dear children, are real 
works of genius and have all the signs of such. 
Perhaps you have never thought of them in 
just this way or dreamed how remarkable 
it was that fun so very old as we know these 
sports to be (for our great-grandparents 
played them as we do now) should at the same 
time be so fresh and enjoyable to us. The 
reason for it is that they have the spark of 
genius which makes them immortal and the 
true wit which never loses its savor, and so 



2 GAMES AND PARTIES 

they can always be counted on for a good 
time and will be handed down by us to genera- 
tions to come just as our elders taught them 
to us. I have collected the best of the old 
games to form the first chapter in this book, 
because in entering a crowded room we natu- 
rally turn first to look for faces we know. 
On the other hand, many of the best and 
funniest of the ancient plays have been over- 
looked and forgotten by modern children, 
so that some of these that follow should have 
all the charm of real novelty or newness for 

you. 

THE POST 

The number of players should be, if possible, 
not less than seven or eight; the more the 
merrier. Each assumes the name of a city. 
One of the players (we will say Paris) takes a 
handkerchief which represents the mail-pouch 
and tosses it to a second member of the group 
(whom we will call Berlin). At the same 
time he cries, ''Hello !" 

Berlin asks, "Who is there?" 

Paris answers, ''The Post." 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 3 

*' Where from ? " asks Berlin. 

"From Paris." 

"Whereto.?" 

Paris then names some other city repre- 
sented in the game, for instance, London. 
Berhn must immediately throw the hand- 
kerchief to the player who stands for London. 
If Berlin hesitates too long, or makes a mis- 
take in singling out the right player, he must 
pay a forfeit. The player who has received 
the handkerchief asks Berlin the questions 
as before, and the game continues until a 
number of forfeits are held for ransom. 

OBSERVATION 

A table piled high with all sorts of house- 
hold articles, as diverse as possible in charac- 
ter, is rolled on the scene and rolled away 
three minutes later. Pencils and paper are 
then distributed, and players are called on to 
make lists of the different objects on the table 
from memory. The boy or girl whose list 
is found to be longest and most correct 
when examined wins a prize. 



4 GAMES AND PARTIES 

HOLD FAST AND LET GO 

A game which is a good test of mental 
agiUty on the part of the young players is 
Hold Fast and Let Go. 

For it a bunch of tapes or ribbons in two 
colors, say white and black, and having as 
many separate lengths as there are players, 
will be required. 

The leader, usually an older boy or an 
adult, stands in the center of the circle formed 
by the rest of the company. This person 
holds one end of all strings; the opposite 
ends are held by the different players, one 
string to each player. 

Commands are given in a quick, military 
tone, and the fun consists in the fact that the 
exact opposite of the command given is to 
be obeyed. 

Thus, if the directions are "blacks let go", 
those holding black will hold on. If the 
orders should be "whites hold on", the 
whites everywhere in the circle will let 
go. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 5 

Commands should follow each other with 
confusing rapidity, making the game a lively 
one. When word is given for "all" to ''hold 
on" the entire circle should immediately let 
go — and so on. 

THE HOLroAYS 

An especially lively and exciting game is 
called the holidays. 

To begin it the names of all the different 
holidays of the year are written on separate 
slips of paper which are folded and jumbled 
in a bowl. All the children dip out papers, 
assuming the name of the holiday drawn. 
Christmas, New Year's Day, Hallowe'en, 
Thanksgiving, Valentine's, Washington's 
Birthday, July Fourth, Labor Day, Arbor 
Day, and all the popular holidays figure in 
the bowl. 

When all slips are drawn, the days form a 
wide circle around New Year's Day, leaving 
him in the middle of the ring. 

This holiday has the privilege of calling 
out the names of any other two holidays, 



6 GAMES AND PARTIES 

who on hearing themselves called, must im- 
mediately exchange places. 

If, while they are doing it, the New Year 
can slip into one of the vacant places, the 
person thus left out becomes New Year's Day. 

Another version of the sport differs from 
the foregoing in the fact that the New Year 
is blindfolded. Instead of trying to slip into 
a vacant seat, he endeavors to catch one of 
the two whose names he has just called, and 
who are exchanging places. If the Blind- 
man is successful, the player caught must 
take his place, becoming New Year's Day. 

It adds to the fun of this game if players 
hold hands so as to form an actual circle, 
letting go only when about to change places. 
By swaying backwards and forwards (or in 
any direction suggested by the pursuit), the 
circle avoids the groping Blindman. 

THE HUNTER 

Another romping game, the Hunter, can 
be played by any number of boys and girls 
exceeding four. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 7 

One of the players is called after each of 
the different parts of the dress or accoutre- 
ments of the sportsman. Thus, one is the 
jacket, one the hat, others the gun, the dog, 
and so forth. As many chairs as there are 
players are ranged in two rows, back to back, 
and all the players must sit down. 

The Hunter walks around the sitters and 
calls out the assumed name of one of them, 
for example. Gun. 

That player immediately gets up and takes 
hold of the hand of the Hunter, who continues 
his walk, calling out the other names one by one. 
"AH players summoned join hands to form 
a line, and when all are summoned the Hunter 
sets off running around the chairs as fast as 
possible, the other players holding on and 
running after him as best they can. 

When he has been several times around the 
room, he shouts out '' Down all " and im- 
mediately sits down on one of the chairs. 

His followers scramble for the remaining 
seats, which should lack one of the number 
required, so that one boy or girl is left out. 



8 GAMES AND PARTIES 

Those who fail to obtain seats must pay 

forfeits. 

BANG! 

Try this lively scramble game. Appoint 
some one leader and let the leader go around, 
whispering to each some fictitious name, 
which must be carefully remembered. Chairs 
for all the company, except the leader, are 
now arranged back to back, after which he 
proceeds in a circle around the chairs, hold- 
ing a piece of tape several yards long. As he 
goes, he calls out at random the fictitious 
names bestowed on members of the group, 
and each player as he hears himself called 
must arise and take hold of the tape, following 
the leader on his rounds. When all the 
players have taken hold, the leader calls 
out "Bang!" and begins to run around the 
chairs as fast as possible, pulling the others 
after him. Round and round he goes, circling 
the room and jumping or scrambling over ob- 
stacles large and small, until all his followers 
have lost their hold for want of breath, or are 
unable to hold on because of laughter. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 9 

NEWS 

A game that is always amusing is called 
News. Here players sit in a circle, and some 
one is assigned to the task of beginning the 
game. This he or she does by whispering 
some astonishing item of news to the player 
at the left. Thus she might say, "The tidal 
wave rose and Brooklyn Bridge was swept 
away", or ''A tornado is coming down from 
Canada at the rate of a thousand miles an 
hour." The person who is informed of these 
momentous events then communicates them 
to the person at his left, this person also 
passes them on in the same way, until the 
news has made a complete circuit of the group. 
The last player is then required to say what 
he heard. This will almost invariably be very 
different from the news when it started on its 
rounds. This game is also called Rumor, or 
Gossip. 

RIBBON'S END 

The players stand in a row, with their 
hands on the shoulders of the one in front. 



10 GAMES AND PARTIES 

The catcher stands some distance away and 
attempts to catch the ribbon's end — which is 
the smallest player, as the row is graduated. 
The entire line, by twisting and turning, try 
to prevent this without breaking the chain. 
The one finally captured becomes the catcher. 

THE WEATHERCOCKS 

The "Wind" stands in the center of the 
room; the other players, "Weathercocks", 
in rows. The four corners of the room are 
North, South, East, and West. When the 
Wind points to one corner, calling out its 
name, the Weathercocks must immediately 
turn in the opposite direction. If the Wind 
cries "West" and points in that direction, 
the Weathercocks must face East. When- 
ever the Wind shouts "Tempest", all must 
turn around three times, returning to the 
exact position they occupied before the word 
was spoken. When the Wind cries "Vari- 
able ", the Weathercocks must sway back and 
forth on their toes until the name of one of the 
cardinal points is added. If it is South, 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 11 

for instance, they must turn directly to the 
North. When the Wind names a point 
which the Weathercocks are already facing, 
they do not move. Any one making a mis- 
take in any of these things must pay a for- 
feit. 

THE SEA IS TROUBLED 

All but one of the players are seated in a 
circle. The one standing, for whom there 
is no chair, represents the "sea." Each of 
the others takes the name of something 
that lives in the sea — starfish, crab, her- 
ring, whale, etc. The "sea" walks outside 
the circle, calling each one in it by the name 
she has chosen, and each as she hears her 
name gets up and follows the "sea." When 
all are on their feet, the "sea" begins to 
run about, crying: "The *sea' is troubled! 
The 'sea' is troubled !" As soon as she drops 
into a chair, every one tries to follow her 
example. The one who fails to get a chair 
becomes the "sea." Each player now re- 
ceives a new sea name and the fun begins all 
over again. 



12 GAMES AND PARTIES 

PULL IN, PULL OUT 

A jolly romping game which the younger 
boys and girls will enjoy is played in this 
way. Roll back a rug from the center of 
the floor and on the boards make a small 
square with chalk. The square can be about 
half a yard in diameter ; there is no special 
size. All the young people then join hands, 
forming a circle, with the chalk square in the 
center. The circle must consist of an equal 
number of players, who are divided into two 
bands called reds and blues or by any other 
fanciful names. The music, some lively air, 
begins; the circle dances away, "ring around 
a rosy" fashion, each player trying to draw 
some member of the opposing faction into 
the square. 

Any person drawn into the circle is out of 
the game. The side having most members 
remaining when the game is declared at an 
end for want of breath on the part of the 
players is declared victorious. This is a 
version of London Bridge. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 13 

WAR OF WANDS 

This IS a merry form of tug-of-war and is 
much to be preferred to the rather rough old 
sport of London Bridge, Oranges and Lemons, 
and such games where players grasp each 
other around the waist. In this tug, a line 
is marked either with a tape or chalk or a 
light piece of wood, say window molding. 
Each two players take hold of a wand and 
stand on opposite sides of the boundary. 
The object, after the signal is given, is for 
each to pull his adversary over the boundary. 
Even to bring the opponent's foot to the chalk 
line is victory for the one who does it. 

ANOTHER TUG 

Let all stand in a ring, each player holding 
an end of a clothespin in each hand, the op- 
posite ends of the pins being, of course, held 
by his nearest neighbors in the ring. At a 
given signal, let all pull in an endeavor to 
break the ring. This is much better than the 
same game where hands are clasped, as one 



14 GAMES AND PARTIES 

boy or girl a little too vigorous will often 
injure the wrist of a neighbor in the excitement 
of the game. 

ni THE FLYING HANDKERCHIEF 

For this always stirring though ancient 
game, a wide circle is formed, in the middle 
of which stands a player with a handkerchief 
that is not tied or fastened with a knot, but 
loose. The handkerchief is thrown to one 
of the seated players, and this person, if 
successful in catching it, must immediately 
toss it to a companion, while the central 
player endeavors to catch it en route. If he 
catches it instead of the person for whom it 
is meant, that person must become catcher. 
The players in the ring, of course, by throw- 
ing rapidly and by all kinds of feints, endeavor 
to keep the catcher from securing the hand- 
kerchief. 

WARNING 

One player, chosen "Warner", stands apart 
at the place called ''home." After calling 
"Warning" three times, he starts to catch 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 15 

whom he may, but with hands clasped be- 
fore him. If any succeed in pulHng his arms 
apart, or tempting him to loose his hold, he 
must fly for "home." If caught before reach- 
ing it, another "Warner" is chosen. If he 
can "tag" any one with his clasped hands, the 
captive becomes his ally, and hand in hand 
they sally forth to capture others, without 
loosing their hold of each other — though 
each person must be carried "home" first, 
before admitted among the attacking party. 
The diflSculty of making captives increases 
with every gain to their ranks, because only 
the end players may make prisoners, and the 
train becomes unwieldy. Sometimes a bold 
player at large may break through the clasped 
hands, unless they hold tight. The field of 
play must be within narrow limits. The 
player that escapes capture wins the game. 

CORK FISHERMAN 

A game requiring no expensive outfit is 
cork fishery. This requires a large basin of 
water and a dozen corks of various sizes in 



16 GAMES AND PARTIES 

each of which a tiny hook has been inserted. 
The players fish for the floating corks with 
rods and Unes, the latter terminating in bent 
pins. The two capturing most in ten min- 
utes allotted to the game win. 

TWIRLING THE CAP 

Divide the children into two sides and 
choose a leader, who stands in the middle of 
the room and tosses the cap. If it falls right 
side up, the persons on one side laugh as 
heartily as they can. Any one on the op- 
posite side who is seen to smile has to join 
the laughing side. When the cap falls wrong 
side up, the other side has its turn to laugh 
and win people over. This game usually 
ends in a gale of laughter and paves the way 
for more formal games. 

A HEARTY LAUGH 

The laughing game is amusing and oc- 
cupies but a few minutes. A circle is formed, 
one child starts with the word ha, the second 
says ha ha, the third ha ha ha, and so on. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 17 

each one taking his turn and adding one more 
"ha" than has been echoed by his neighbor. 
The ''ha ha's" must be made without laugh- 
ing, which is almost an impossibility, and 
before the circle has been once gone around, 
the entire party is in a peal of laughter. As 
each one laughs, he drops out of the game, 
ofttimes leaving a laughable contest between 

two. 

CAT AND MOUSE 

Let all the company join hand-in-hand in 
a circle, except one, who is placed inside, 
called the Mouse, and another outside, called 
the Cat. 

Those forming the ring begin the game by 
running round, raising their arms. 

The cat springs in at one side and the 
mouse jumps out at the other. 

They then suddenly lower their arms so 
that the cat cannot escape. 

The cat goes round mewing, trying to get 
out, and as the circle continues to move, she 
must try to find a weak place to break through. 
As soon as she gets out, she chases the mouse, 



18 GAMES AND PARTIES 

who tries to save herself by getting within 
the circle again. For this purpose they raise 
their arms. 

If she gets in without being followed by 
the cat, the cat must pay a forfeit and try 
again, but if the mouse be caught, she must 
pay a forfeit. 

They then name the two players to suc- 
ceed them, fall into the circle, and the game 
goes on as before. 

WHIRLWIND 

For Whirlwind, an old English game, as 
many chairs as there will be players are 
arranged in a circle. All the players but one 
are seated. This one player takes up his 
position in the center of the circle. His 
object is to take the vacant chair, and this the 
others endeavor to prevent by hastily moving 
up so as to fill the empty seat whenever the 
standing player approaches it. By . this 
means the vacancy is kept at the point far- 
thest from him, and he must be agile in his 
movements to capture it. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 19 

The seated line can move either to the right 
or to the left to fill the vacancy, as the move- 
ments of the person standing indicate. The 
game is sometimes played sitting down, the 
children drawing up their chairs in a wide 
ring around the central player. 

NEIGHBOR, NEIGHBOR 

A diverting old game is Neighbor, Neigh- 
bor, played as follows. All sit in a circle on 
chairs. The leader begins with a question 
to his left-hand neighbor, to whom he says : 
^'Neighbor, Neighbor, how is thee.f^" 

The proper response is: ''Very well, I 
thank thee. And how is thee ? " 

To this the leader responds: "Just so, 
just so", and as he speaks, he waves his 
right hand, continuing to do so. The second 
player then addresses the third in the line 
with the same question, and when their little 
conversation is completed, the second player 
as well as the first is waving his right hand. 
After one round the same questioning goes 
on, but the left hand is waved or wagged. 



20 GAMES AND PARTIES 

the right also continuing in motion. On the 
third round it is one foot which is moved like 
a treadle, then the other foot, and in the 
final or fifth round both hands and feet are 
in motion, while all the little heads are nod- 
ding like Chinese mandarins. 

PERPETUAL MOTION 

A variation of Neighbor, Neighbor is called 
Perpetual Motion. One player begins by 
saying, ''My master bids you do as I do." 
The second player must then inquire what 
the master bids him do.^^ In answer to this 
query, the first player must explain, "To 
work with one as I do." The first player 
must then hammer imaginary nails with his 
right hand, as though cobbling something 
held on his knees. Now let the second 
player turn to the third and say to him, 
''My master bids you", etc., so that the 
second player is soon also hammering away 
with his right. When the conversation has 
gone once around the entire circle, the first 
player bids the second ''work with two", 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 21 

the second bids the third "work with two", 
and so on. On the third round the players 
are told to work with three — that is both 
hands and the right foot ; then on the fourth 
round with both hands and both feet; and 
finally, on the fifth, each must work both 
hands and feet and wag his head into the 
bargain. When each player is working hands, 
feet, and head, the effect is highly comical. 
This completes perpetual motion and ends 
the game. 

ORCHESTRA 

All the players are members of an imag- 
inary orchestra. All sit in a circle save one, 
and to each is assigned some imaginary in- 
strument which he will play. The one left 
out (whose position is in the center of the 
circle) is the leader, and instead of an instru- 
ment, he waves a baton. 

From time to time the leader will cease to 
gesticulate in his proper way, and will silently 
seize and begin to pantomime the imaginary 
musical instrument of some one in the cir- 



22 GAMES AND PARTIES 

cle. Thus he may begin to play the vioHn; 
the person to whom the pantomime of the 
violin was assigned must be alert to see that 
the leader has taken his instrument, and must 
fold his hands, sitting motionless until the 
leader goes back to his baton. Or, if so ar- 
ranged, the violin player will at once seize 
the leader's imaginary baton and "lead" 
until the leader reclaims it. If any musician 
fails to remark that the leader has taken his 
instrument, he is subject to forfeit. 

v^ THE RAILROAD 

A very jolly game which any child will 
grasp readily if he or she is not already 
familiar with it, is called The Railroad. 

For this the children stand in a ring, and 
each receives the name of some part of the 
railroad or- train, or of some official. Thus 
one youngster becomes the rails, another the 
whistle, another the steam, another the con- 
ductor, and so forth. Some older person 
then invents (or reads aloud) a little story, 
in which all the different parts are men- 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 23 

tioned, one by one. As each child hears his 
fictitious name mentioned, he rises and imi- 
tates the thing he represents. For example, 
the whistle toots, the steam puffs, the con- 
ductor pulls the bell-rope and cries "All 
aboard", the wheels begin to revolve, etc. 

At the very end of the story, after each 
part has been played a couple of times, there 
is a mention of a ''terrible collision." Here 
all the children break ranks and rush to- 
gether in confusion, and the game ends in 
a merry uproar. 

In a variation of this game, called The 
Ship, the players represent a ship, instead of 
a railroad, and imitate the movement or sound 
of the person or thing he represents, as the 
story mentions them. 

ELLS OF CLOTH 

All the players, except two, stand in a row, 
holding hands, with arms outstretched as 
widely as possible. The two players not in 
the row represent, one the merchant and the 
other the weaver, and the others the ells 



24 GAMES AND PARTIES 

of cloth. When the players stand holding 
hands, as just described, the cloth is sup- 
posed to be folded. 

The merchant now looks over the cloth 
by going down the line and looking each 
player in the face. He then makes a bar- 
gain with the weaver and measures the cloth 
by taking hold of each "ell" by the hands. 
When he is satisfied that the weaver's price 
is fair, he goes away, as if to get his money, 
and all the players then turn aside and each 
one clasps the one next to him around the 
waist, standing then close together, with the 
weaver at the head of the line, held around 
the waist by the first ell. 

When the merchant returns, he is told 
that the cloth is folded, and that he must 
unfold it if he wishes to measure it again. 
He tries to make some of the ells let go by 
pulling the weaver about, holding him by 
the hands. If any one lets go, he must stand 
aside; and so the game goes on, until only 
one player remains except the merchant and 
the weaver. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 25 

This last player has a right to be either 
the merchant or the weaver in the next 
game, as he may prefer, and to choose the 
other. 

It might make the game more interesting 
if every player that lets go is made to pay a 
forfeit, and if that is done, the last player 
imposes the forfeits at the end of the game. 

THE LAWYER 

To play The Lawyer, the players stand in 
two rows, opposite to and facing each other. 
There must be room between the two lines 
for the Lawyer to pass between. 

Some person must be agreed upon to play 
the part of the advocate, and when all are 
seated, the Lawyer will ask a question or 
address a remark to some person in the 
game. 

As he speaks, he must stand either di- 
rectly in front of the person or he must 
distinctly name the one addressed. 

The idea is that the one spoken to is never 
to answer the question or reply to the re- 



26 GAMES AND PARTIES 

mark. This is the part always of the 

person sitting exactly opposite the person 

addressed, who must immediately reply or 

give a forfeit. 

The object of the Lawyer is always to have 

the one who should not answer, do so, or to 

see the one who should reply fail to recognize 

his turn. When he has succeeded in either 

point, the two persons involved change places 

and the one who made the blunder becomes 

Lawyer. 

COPENHAGEN 

Many indeed have been the conjectures 
as to how this good old sport obtained its 
name, but no satisfactory explanation has 
ever been made connecting it with the native 
land of Hamlet. A rope is held by the 
players in a ring, while one person called the 
Dane stands within the ring of rope. He 
tries to slap the hands of those who hold the 
rope, and this the others try to elude by letting 
go for a moment and immediately taking 
hold again. Any one whose hands are slapped 
becomes Dane, of course. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 27 

TOUCH THE THIRD 

For a lively game on the order of Tag, 
have a ring formed of all the players standing 
everywhere two deep, save that in one spot 
they are three deep ; that is, instead of hav- 
ing two players completely around the circle, 
at one point there will be three players. 
The pursuer stands outside the circle, which 
he is never allowed to enter, and his object 
is always to tag the third person in the row 
where there are more than two. This the 
third person endeavors to avoid (when he 
finds himself in danger) by running into the 
ring and standing in front of two other 
players. This forces one of the two players 
into the position of Third, and as such he 
becomes prey for the pursuer. Changes go 
on rapidly, keeping both pursued and pur- 
suer continually on the jump. 

DUCK ON A ROCK 

A large stone with a smooth top Is chosen 
for the rock, and each player is provided with 



28 GAMES AND PARTIES 

a stone of the right size to be easily held in his 
hand. These are the Ducks. 

Draw a line twenty-five to thirty feet dis- 
tant from the Rock, according to the size of 
the field played in; back of this line is 
Home. The next step in the game is to 
''pink for duck", which consists in each 
player's throwing his stone from Home to the 
rock. The one whose stone lies farthest 
from the rock, when all have thrown, is It, 
and he must place his Duck on the rock for 
the others to throw at, their object being 
to knock it off. He must stand near the 
rock. 

If any player knocks the stone from the 
rock, there must instantly be a general stam- 
pede by the players to get their stones and 
dash for Home. The player who is It must 
quickly replace the stone on the rock, and 
when he has done so must try to touch any 
player who has not yet reached Home. The 
one so touched becomes It and must place 
his Duck on the rock to be thrown at, stand- 
ing near by himself. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 29 

Sometimes, if a player touched by It is a 
fleet runner, he may be able to place his Duck 
on the rock and run back and touch the for- 
mer It before he has had a chance to get his 
stone and run Home; in that case, the fleet 
runner wins his release, and the former It 
must again place his Duck on the rock. 

If no stone dislodges the Duck in one round 
of play, their owners forfeit them to It, and 
terms must be made with him to recover 
them. He may command one to "jump" 
home, which he must do by placing the stone 
between his feet, and hop home thus bur- 
dened. Another he may command to " kick ", 
which is done by working the stone on to the 
foot and kicking it homeward. Or he may 
command one to ''heel", which means to 
kick the stone home backwards, with the 

heel. 

ONE HUNDRED 

There are many good ways of playing 
Blindman, one of the best of these variations 
being Blindman with Numbers, or One Hun- 
dred. A wide circle is formed of all the 



30 GAMES AND PARTIES 

players, in the center of which stands the 
BHndman, his eyes bound with a scarf or 
handkerchief. Each person in the circle has 
a number, the numbers being all in rotation. 
The Blindman does not circulate about as in 
Blind Man's Bluff, but retains his original 
position toward the center of the ring, where 
from time to time he calls out two numbers, 
which should occur on different sides of the 
ring. The players representing the numbers 
called out are then obliged to change places, 
and during this exchange the Blindman has 
an opportunity to catch one of the two, the 
person who is caught becoming Blindman. 
From time to time the Blindman must call 
out "One Hundred." This number embraces 
all the others represented in the game, and 
is therefore a signal for a general exchange 
of places, increasing chances for a capture. 

FRENCH BLINDMAN 

In a version of Blindman's Bluff played in 
France, the pursuer has his hands tied lightly 
behind his back and must try to tag the others 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 31 

thus hampered. This is considered safer by 

those who have played it than wearing a 

bandage over the eyes, and it is equally good 

fun. 

SEVEN STEPS 

One player is blindfolded and stands in 

the middle of the room. The others take 

up their positions wherever they wish and 

in such situations as seem safest to them. 

The blindman is then told to take seven 

steps in any direction and try to capture a 

player by groping for him. If unsuccessful, 

he may take seven steps in another direction 

and so on, until some one is captured. The 

steps may be long or short as the blindman 

wishes. 

WHO'S WHO.? 

Of the many, many, good old-time blind- 
fold games, this is one of the best. The 
company is divided into two sections, and one 
section is blindfolded. Each blindman is 
seated and has a chair at his right hand which 
is left vacant. The other players without 
bandages stand in the center of the room. 



32 GAMES AND PARTIES 

where they remain silent until the moment 
comes to slip stealthily into the vacant 
chairs. Now the blindman will try his best 
to discover who occupies his vacant chair. 
This he does by asking questions which the 
other must answer, though it is allowable to 
disguise the voice in any way possible. In- 
deed, if requested so to do, the player who 
has preempted a chair must sing, recite, or the 
like, the difficulty being that all the others 
do so at once, so that in the general noise it 
is less easy to discover who one's visitor may 
be. The bandage may not be removed until 
the blindman has guessed correctly, and when 
he succeeds in this, the other visitor becomes 
blindman. 

MARY AND JOHN 

Who were the Mary and John of this game ? 
No one now seems to know, but whoever 
invented it in the remote past has immor- 
talized both Mary and John and has given us 
a jolly and yet easy game at the same time. 
The players, omitting two, form a ring and 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 33 

take hands. The two players counted out 
are enclosed in the ring and are called Mary 
and John, regardless of what their sex may be. 
The object is for John to catch Mary, and as 
he is blindfolded ere the game begins, it is 
not so easily done. Mary can only be lo- 
cated by her stealthy steps and by her dis- 
guised voice, for naturally she tries to make 
it sound as far away and strange as possible. 
However, as often as John says, "Mary, where 
are you.^" Mary must respond. She may 
stoop, creep, crawl, wiggle, and do anything 
except leave the ring to escape being cap- 
tured. When Mary is finally captured, John 
joins the ring, and Mary is blindfolded, having 
first chosen a new John. 

SIMON SAYS 

This catch is very, very old and can be 
played by any number of players. Each 
person first doubles up his hands with thumbs 
extended. The leader begins with, "Simon 
says, ^Thumbs up!'" whereupon he puts 
his own fist on the table with the thumb up- 



34 GAMES AND PARTIES 

ward. The others must do the same. When 
the leader says, "Thumbs down", he turns 
his own hand over and lets the tips of the 
thumbs touch the table. The others must 
exactly imitate him. He then says, "Simon 
says, 'Wiggle waggle'" and waggles his 
thumbs, an action in which his slavish fol- 
lowers imitate him again. The catch lies 
in the fact that from time to time the words 
"Simon says" are omitted to trick the com- 
pany, and when this is done the directions 
given are not to be followed. Those who for- 
get the rules incur forfeits. 

MOTTOES 

A handkerchief game, simple, but exciting, 
is Mottoes. Players draw their chairs around 
a large circular table, and one of the number, 
as previously agreed upon, begins the game 
by giving aloud one-half a popular quotation 
or motto. Example: "Give me liberty — . " 
As he gives the first part of the motto, he 
tosses a handkerchief to some other member 
of the circle, who is required to catch it and 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 35 

to complete the motto, in this instance with 
"or give me death", while the others count 
aloud up to twenty. This second player, 
on completing the first motto, begins another. 
For illustration : '' 'Tis better to have loved 
and lost — ." He tosses the handkerchief to 
a third player, whose part it is to complete 
the verse with "than never to have loved at 
all" during the count. 

Mottoes are not, of course, usually so 
familiar as these given here, and mistakes are 
frequent. The players whose score of misses 
is largest are condemned to pay forfeits to be 
afterwards redeemed by laughable stunts. 

THE CROWING HEN 

The players take seats in a row or in a 
circle, as they prefer, and a leader is chosen, 
who takes position at one end of the row, or 
in the center of the circle. 

The leader begins the game by saying, 
"I have a hen ", and the player at the leader's 
left hand repeats it after him to his left-hand 
neighbor, who, in turn, repeats it to his left- 



36 GAMES AND PARTIES 

hand neighbor, and so on, until all the players 
have repeated it, when the last player turns 
back to his right-hand neighbor, and asks : 
"Has she feathers?" 

This question travels back to the leader, 
who answers: "She has feathers," The 
answer travels down the line to the left, when 
the last player asks of the player on his 
right, "Can she walk?" When this question 
reaches the leader, the play continues with 
answer and question: "She can walk." 
"How does she walk?" " Wiggledy-woggledy, 
wiggledy "WOggledy . ' ' 

As the leader says this, he imitates with 
his hands the walk of a chicken, and each 
player, as he repeats it, does likewise. 

The next question is: "Can she crow?" 
answered by : "She can crow ", each imitat- 
ing the crow of a rooster. 

These questions and answers may be con- 
tinued to cover all a hen's actions, the object 
in the game being to keep from laughing, 
which will be found a hard thing to do, as 
the game makes lots of fun. 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 37 

Any one who laughs during the game, or 
who repeats a question or an answer wrong 
— as it must be an exact imitation — must' 
pay a forfeit. 

GOING TO JERUSALEM 

This is one of our best-known games, — 
one of those we all have played oftenest 
perhaps; and yet how we all love it, and 
what a good time may be had with it now and 
then ! Some one at the piano guides the 
game. A row of chairs is arranged back to 
back down the middle of the room, and the 
row contains one chair less than the number 
of players. When the music starts, the 
players march around the chairs in a line. 
Suddenly the music stops; when it does so, 
each player tries to secure a chair and sit down 
in it. As there is one chair too few, some one 
will be left without a seat. This player is 
out of the game and retires from the line. 
Now take away another chair and begin the 
march anew. The player left out in this round 
withdraws, and this continues until (as a 



38 GAMES AND PARTIES 

chair and a player are withdrawn in each 
round) but two players march around a single 
chair. Then one player is eliminated and the 
game is at an end. 

RUTH AND JACOB 

A very ancient game is this but a good one 
and much liked by little children everywhere. 
One of the children is blindfolded, and the 
rest form a circle and dance around him until 
he stretches out a hand, pointing at some one 
in the ring. This person then joins the 
blindman inside the ring, and when the 
blindman cries out "Ruth", the other an- 
swers *' Jacob." The one answering "Jacob" 
must move quickly around in the circle, or 
else the blindman will capture him, but as 
often as the blindman calls "Ruth", the other 
must answer him with the name of the patri- 
arch. The fun goes on until Ruth is captured 
by Jacob. Jacob is then called on to guess 
whom he has caught, and if he is right in his 
guess, Ruth takes his place and is blind- 
folded ; but if he guesses incorrectly he is still 



THE WONDERFUL OLD GAMES 39 

Jacob, and the ring begins to circle around 
him once more, the whole process being re- 
peated. 

TOMMY TIDDLER'S LAND 

The old English game of Tommy Tiddler's 
Land (called in America '* Dixie Land") 
is a favorite of many generations' standing. 
The player who impersonates Tommy is 
supposed to have buried huge stores of treas- 
ure, a la Captain. Kidd, on his land, and this 
ground is represented by a square or circle 
drawn by Tommy around himself. Tommy 
stands in the center; the other players try 
to invade his territory, and as they enter 
they shout: 
"Here I stand on Tommy Tiddler's Land 

Picking up gold and silver." 
If Tommy can touch or tag any player, that 
person becomes Tiddler. 

CLAP IN, CLAP OUT 

The burden of this game falls upon the boys, 
who are absent from the room; the girls 
are seated so as to leave a vacant chair at 



40 GAMES AND PARTIES 

the side of each girl. Each girl has the 
privilege of choosing which boy shall sit at 
her side, and this choice is not kept secret 
but is announced to the company. One by 
one the boys are recalled to the room, and each 
must sit down in the chair which he judges 
has been reserved for him by a lady fair. If 
he chooses the right one, he retains it and is 
clapped ; but if he chooses one reserved for 
another, he is hissed and must retire to the 
hall until called once more. Girls or boys 
need not be evenly proportioned for this 
game, as little girls can play the part of boys. 



CHAPTER II 
NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 

HOT BUTTER, BLUE BEANS 

Let all the children leave the room but 
one, and have this one hide a thimble or 
other small object. Hiding, in this case, 
means not actually concealing the object 
but placing it where it is difficult to find 
though really in full view. For instance, 
it might be placed high up, or somewhere on 
the floor. Those outside are then invited 
to come in and look for it, by the classic 
phrase of : 

" Hot butter, blue beans. 
Please come to tea." 

All now troop in and search for the object, 
but the first one to spy the thimble should 
not announce the fact but should sit down as 



42 GAMES AND PARTIES 

quietly as possible. When all are seated but 
two or three, the game gets really funny and 
exciting, and when it has finally narrowed 
down to one, the person who still remains 
standing is asked to perform a stunt for the 
amusement of the company. 

As soon as the last person finds the thim- 
ble, all the other players shout at him in 
chorus "Hot butter, blue beans," and this is 
a signal that he must expect to pay a forfeit. 

THE GARDEN SCAMP 

All form a ring but two players, and those 
in the ring clasp hands. The garden is the 
space within the ring. One of the two players 
omitted from the ring is the scamp who has 
entered the garden, and the other is the 
gardener. The gardener moves around the 
outside of the circle and asks the scamp who 
admitted him to the garden. 

"No one," says the scamp and begins to 
run. 

The gardener follows him in his devious 
course, which lies in and out through the ring 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 43 

of players, who lift their hands wherever an 
opening is needed for the scamp to pass 
through. This is the Maze in the garden. If 
the gardener can catch the scamp, he may 
be compelled to pay a forfeit, or he may 
simply take the gardener's place. 

MY LADY'S TOILET 

Appropriately, indeed, this game originated 
in that land of art in dress — France. To 
play it, each one receives the name of some 
article of a lady's toilet, such as her dress, 
hat, gloves, slippers, brooch, etc. Players 
are seated in a circle, and when the leader 
names some article that might appropriately 
go into a feminine trunk or wardrobe, the 
person who bears the name of such article 
must run to the center of the ring and take 
hold of the platter spun by the leader before 
the plate stops spinning. If successful, the 
one whose name was called takes the place 
of the leader in the circle, but if unsuccessful, 
the runner returns to his place and must 
afterwards pay a forfeit. 



44 GAMES AND PARTIES 

In another version of this game the general 
exchange feature which adds to the fun of such 
a game is introduced. When Dance (to which 
presumably the lady was going when the 
toilet was in the requisition) is called, all 
the players rise and change places. The 
word, Wardrobe or Costume could be sub- 
stituted for Dance if preferred. 

CROSSING THE STREAM 

With chalk or in other similar way, mark 
a space three feet wide. Each child in turn 
tries to jump the space, that is, "to cross the 
stream." When all have jumped it forwards, 
each must endeavor to jump across with his 
back to the stream. It is in this backward 
performance that the real fun comes. 

THE JUNGLE 

This is a most delightful game for little 
folks, though a very simple and easy one. 
The players form a circle, and each one re- 
ceives the name of an animal. The player 
in the center is the lion and is the leader who 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 45 

bestows the names. The lion calls out sud- 
denly the name of some player, — that is, his 
animal name, — three times, and if the player 
does not immediately respond with his animal 
name given once, he forfeits his place to the 
lion and becomes lion himself. In one ver- 
sion of the game, the lion is called the hunter, 
but otherwise the sport is the same. The 
little people may take their choice in play- 
ing it. 

GEOGRAPHY IN HASTE 

For children old enough to have taken up 
the study of geography, this is a capital 
game, full of fun and excitement, and instruc- 
tive as well. One player knots his handker- 
chief and throws it to another player without 
having announced to whom it will be thrown. 
As he tosses it, he calls, we will say, South 
America. A timekeeper who leads the game 
then begins counting rather rapidly up to 
ten. The person to whom the handkerchief 
was thrown must give the name of some 
geographical feature of the country named ere 
the full number can be counted, or pay a for- 



46 GAMES AND PARTIES 

feit. A river, city, mountain, or the like 
will be enough, unless the game is made 
specially diflScult by having the leader state, 
before beginning to count, the class of nouns 
to which the name given must belong, — thus, 
"River" or "Town." 

It is the object of the one who throws the 
handkerchief to catch the other player nap- 
ping, of course, so that any one who looks 
not quite alert should be singled out. A 
clever player will endeavor to trap the one 
singled out by looking at some one else while 
tossing the handkerchief to his intended 
victim. 

CHANGE PLACES 

A simple game but a good one, especially 
for quite small boys and girls. All the com- 
pany is seated but one, and this person stands 
in the center of the group or in the ring or 
square formed by the others. The person 
standing goes around calling, "Change Seats, 
Change Seats." If this is the entire sentence, 
the other players do not move. But if he 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 47 

adds, "The King is here," all must rise and 
change seats. In the hurly-burly which this 
occasions, the person standing can usually 
find a chair. If any one rises without the 
password "The King is here" being pro- 
nounced, he must pay a forfeit. 

MOON AND STARS 

One player is the Moon — the rest are 
Stars. The Moon is placed in a shadowy 
corner. One child stands on a chair with 
arms extended to represent the newly risen 
Sun. The Stars then circle, dancing around 
the Sun, occasionally swerving over to where 
the Moon stands. As they dance they sing : 

"O Moon and Morning Stars, 
O Moon and Morning Stars, 
Who dares to tread — oh ! 
Within the Shadow?" 

The Moon then tries to catch a Star as 
they dance toward her, and the one caught 
becomes the Moon. 



48 GAMES AND PARTIES 

SECRET TAG 

For a change, there are two kinds of tag 
which are not as famihar as they should be 
when the amusement of the game is taken 
into consideration. One of these is Secret 
Tag, where it is not divulged who has been 
appointed ''It." Papers are drawn, and the 
one whose paper has an X on it, while all the 
others remain blank, becomes ''It" without 
telling the rest. He endeavors to catch and 
tag other players, and as soon as he has done 
so, announces his identity. The uncertainty 
as to which player has the power to tag keeps 
everybody on the qui vive to escape capture. 

JAPANESE TAG 

Then there is the ludicrous Japanese Tag, 
where the player who is tagged must place 
his hand on the part of his body touched in 
tagging and must then pursue others, still 
holding his hand in place. The spectacle of 
a player with his hand between his shoulder 
blades pursuing others around the room will 
divert the children mightily. 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 49 

FOX IN HIS DEN 
This is one of the many delightful running 
games in which healthy children delight. 
The child who is the Fox stands outside the 
circle formed by the others, and as incon- 
spicuously as possible touches one of the 
other players on the shoulder. As soon as 
he is tapped, the child runs to the right, the 
Fox to the left, and whichever of the two 
can soonest get to the den (that is, the place 
which the child has vacated in the ring) 
retains that place, the other becoming or 
remaining Fox and racing some other child 
after tapping his shoulder. 

CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN 
This is a jolly version of Follow my Leader, 
and all that is necessary is to follow the child 
who leads, imitating exactly his steps or 
antics. Little children can follow in the 
game very well, but the leader must be a 
youngster old enough to execute rapid move- 
ments and to change his programme from 
minute to minute. The line formed is single. 



50 GAMES AND PARTIES 

and the leader may start off with a running 
walk, or simply a walk step. From this he 
assumes a marching step, then breaks into 
a gallop, a hard run, a hopping step first on 
one foot, then the other, and so on. Other 
stunts which he can adopt are running with 
arms stretched out before him, or clapping 
hands in time with the step he takes, etc. 
Finally he begins to wind the line slowly into 
an ever-narrowing circle. This continues un- 
til his followers are wound into a tight little 
ball. Or, as the circle begins to tighten, he 
can reverse and lead the line outwards once 

more. 

POOR OLD SOLDIER 

One of the little ones (this being a game for 
quite young children) goes around hat in 
hand and impersonates the old soldier. 
''Kind Lady (or Kind Gentleman)," he says, 
"I am a poor old soldier, penniless and hun- 
gry. Will you give me something, and what 
will you give me.^^" or similar phrases. The 
child approached must then refuse or agree 
to give the old soldier something, but in doing 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 51 

so he must be careful to avoid the words 
Yes and No, also White and Black. If any 
child is tricked by the soldier into saying 
any of these tabooed terms, he takes the place 
of the soldier. 

THE SHOUTERS' SOCIABLE 
Sometimes a noisy game is just what is 
needed, owing to the prevalence in the group 
of a sobersides whose shyness must be banished 
by strenuous means and methods. Let one 
person leave the room and have the rest de- 
cide upon a proverb which he is to guess. 
Each player takes one word, duplicating if 
necessary, — that is, two shouters seated near 
to each other use the same word. As soon 
as the player in the hall has been recalled, 
all shout at once in a very loud voice the 
sentence decided upon. The newly admitted 
shouter must then try to guess what was said. 

MIMIC CLUB 
Young foks everywhere relish the fun of 
this rather simple little game involving a 
pleasant sell. All the players but two are 



52 GAMES AND PARTIES 

sent into the hall. One of those outside is 
then recalled, and is informed that during 
his absence a new club has been formed, and 
that he has been proposed for membership, 
but that he cannot be admitted until he has 
guessed the name of the club. This must 
be divined from the movements and actions 
of the two members who have founded the 
club. He is then offered a chair and every- 
thing that he does, says, etc., is imitated by 
the two founders of the club. If he guesses 
at once that The Imitative Club or The Mimic 
Club, as some call it, is the name of the new 
organization, he is, of course, released and 
another victim sought, but if he is slow about 
guessing, as many will be, it will be diverting 
to watch his puzzlement when every small 
gesture he happens to make and every word 
he utters is immediately repeated not only 
by the two original members, but also by all 
who have been admitted to the club before 
him. As soon as any member guesses the 
name of the club, another member is brought 
in for initiation. 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 53 

THE KING'S ORDERS 

One player is king; the others are his 
subjects and sit facing each other in two rows. 
Each player is given a number — that of his 
position in the row, for instance. The king's 
chair is placed facing the rows, and thence 
he issues his orders. For instance, His Maj- 
esty could say: *'It is time for Number 
Ten to start. Bring him to me, Number 
Twelve." The player who is told to catch 
the one ordered brought to the king then 
runs after him and tries to capture him. 
This the other player endeavors to prevent 
by running in and out of the row between other 
players, who have not yet been called, then 
around the entire group, and finally tagging 
the king's throne. If he can perform this 
feat before being caught, he takes his place 
in the row again. If caught, he must stand 
behind the king's throne. The king then 
calls for another man and sends yet another 
retainer to catch the subject desired, and this 
continues until all have played. The king 



54 GAMES AND PARTIES 

may then rise, unobtrusively place his chair 
against the wall, thus leaving one too few 
to seat the company, and then, calling out, 
''All good subjects of the king follow him 
at once," begin to run at top speed around the 
chairs. After a few turns, he drops into a 
chair, the followers being supposed to do 
likewise, and the one left out by reason of 
shortage in chairs must pay a forfeit. 

THE FOUR FAMILIES 

A novel pastime with cards, entirely within 
the grasp of schoolboys and girls, can be ar- 
ranged in two minutes with an ordinary euchre 
pack, and is called The Four Families. Each 
suit constitutes a group or family, and the fun 
begins when each family receives a new and 
mirth-provoking name. Remembering these 
names is one feature of the skill required. 

An illustration of the names would be: 
Mr. Spade (the king) ; Mrs. Spade (the 
queen) ; Jack Spade (the knave) ; the Spades' 
dog (ace of spades) ; the Spades' house (ten 
of spades). 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 55 

Mr. Club, Mrs. Club, Jack Club, the Clubs' 
dog, the Clubs' house. 

Mr. Heart, Mrs. Heart, Jack Heart, the 
Hearts' dog, the Hearts' house. 

Mr. Diamond, Mrs. Diamond, Jack Dia- 
mond, the Diamonds' dog, the Diamonds' 
house. 

Four persons can play with one pack of 
cards. For a greater number get an addi- 
tional pack. Players sit around a table, 
and cards are dealt as for authors, — four to 
each player and the rest to a pool. The ob- 
ject of each player is to get a complete family 
into his hand at one time and to complete 
more groups than any other player during 
the progress of the game. After receiving 
their cards, players call (in turn) upon other 
players to supply one of the cards necessary 
to complete a group, a part of which is in hand. 
If the player of whom it is asked has it, he 
must deliver it up, and the player receiving 
it may ask for something else, continuing to 
ask until he fails, when the turn passes. The 
player completing most groups wins a prize. 



56 GAMES AND PARTIES 

THE MACKINTOSH RACE 

Comic races are splendid stunts for boys, 
and among these the mackintosh race is per- 
haps the funniest. So far it has never failed 
to ensure the hilarity of one half hour at 
least. If possible, have two rooms thrown 
together for the race track. Or a long one, 
such as the school hall, would make an ideal 
scene for it. At one end of the hall, the end 
opposite that where the boys stand, have 
arranged two mackintoshes, two sets of rub- 
bers, and two parasols. The first two articles 
are preferably those belonging to the racer, or 
a fair fit for him. 

Two boys race at once. When the signal 
is given, both advance at a brisk walk towards 
the mackintosh, which they are required to 
don in addition to putting on the overshoes 
and opening the parasol. So attired, each 
* racer must hurry to the other end of the room 
and then back, after which he doffs the rain- 
coat and the rubbers, placing them in a neat 
pile, and closes and leaves the parasol, re- 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 57 

turning to the goal. The boy who is first to 
go through with all these maneuvers wins 
the race. 

Winners match winners until a champion 
is found, unless it is found that this makes 
the game too long, in which case all those 
who have won their respective races can re- 
ceive souvenirs. 

BOYS' NEEDLE RACE 

The needle race is just as good for a stag 
function as for a mixed company of boys and 
girls. This is where partners are drawn, and 
the company is drawn up in two lines at 
opposite ends of the room, partners facing 
each other. One boy holds several needles 
and his partner several lengths of thread, and 
the pair quickest to thread all their needles 
are victorious. The rule is that one boy 
must hold the needle while his partner en- 
deavors to thrust the thread into it. This 
is the only way in which the feat may 
be performed according to the rules of the 
game. 



58 GAMES AND PARTIES 

A COCK FIGHT 

This is a game for boys, the little girls look- 
ing on and applauding the champion, if one 
there be. Two boys fight at once, and each 
has his wrists tied together with a handker- 
chief or soft bandage. Each pair of legs is 
secured just above the ankle with another 
bandage, and after they are fastened thus, the 
arms are passed over the knees and a broom- 
stick is pushed over one arm, under both 
knees and over the other arm. The cocks 
are now in fighting trim and are carried into 
the center of the room, where they are set 
down face to face with their toes just touch- 
ing each other. The fight begins promptly, 
each "cock" trying to overthrow his opponent 
by pushing and hopping, or perhaps it should 
be called flopping. The one who first over- 
throws his opponent wins the game. If both 
cocks tumble together, they fight again on 
the same terms as before. This is a fine 
game for exercise as well as for fun. Try it 
soon! 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 59 

A RUBBER BALL STUNT 

Each in turn is to receive the ball and 
perform the following complicated feat: 

First, throw the ball up with a single hand. 
Catch it with both hands. Second, throw 
it with both, catch it with one. Third, 
throw it with one, catch with the other. 
Fourth, throw the ball to the ground and catch 
on the bounce in the different ways outlined 
below. 

Bat it into the air with the palm of the 
hand and before catching it (a) clap your 
hands, (b) bow once, in the direction of your 
audience, (c) kneel down on one knee or 
simply bend the knee, (d) jump in the air, (e) 
jump backwards as far as you are able, (/) 
jump forwards as far as you can, (g) bend to 
the right, (h) bend to the left. 

The player to whom the ball falls by the 
counting out process retains it as long as he 
can throw and catch it in accordance with 
the rules given above. As soon as he has 
missed in any one of the various feats pre- 



60 GAMES AND PARTIES 

scribed, he relinquishes the ball and steps 
away as far as it is possible to do in five long 
strides. The player designated as second in 
the counting out process then takes the ball 
and with it tries to hit the back of the ex- 
player, which should be turned towards him. 
If Number 2 misses in his attempt to hit 
the back of Number 1 at five paces, he loses 
his turn and gives the ball to Number 3. 
This player is now obliged to repeat this 
test through which Number 1 has just gone. 
Number 3, if he fails, paces away and pre- 
sents his back as a target . for Number 4, 
and so the fun continues until all have tried. 

TO FIND PARTNERS 

Children love to find partners by some novel 
means, and here is an idea for it. Let them 
match up jigsaw animals. Cut out squares 
of cardboard about six by nine inches in size. 
On each paste an animal clipped from adver- 
tising pictures. The animals may be colored 
with water colors, but this detail is not es- 
sential. Now cut a zigzag line through each 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 61 

picture and tie a ribbon to each half (drawn 
through a perforation). Give each child one 
piece, which he is to hold by the ribbon, and 
send him in search of the missing half. 
Of course, any attractive pictures from the 
advertisement sheets, such as dolls and toys, 
etc., can be used instead of animals, and where 
red or brightly colored cardboard can be ob- 
tained, that is better than the white, as being 
more picturesque. 

BUBBLE STUNTS 

Make a bubble liquid by shaving an inch 
square of soap into boiling water, and when 
thoroughly dissolved add a tablespoonful of 
gum arable and allow to melt. Now pour in 
a teaspoonful of glycerin and then a quart 
of cold water. Across the room, about on a 
line with the heads of the players, draw a 
cord. On the far side of this cord some one 
stands, holding a pillow. Standing on the 
near side of it, each player in turn has five 
tries in which he aims to blow a bubble over 
the cord and on to the pillow. These bubbles 



62 GAMES AND PARTIES 

are very lasting, and the object is to place as 
many as possible on the pillow. 

A FISHING STORY 

An older person or one of the older boys or 
girls is leader and must be prepared to tell a 
Fishing Story. This can be written in advance 
or simply invented as the game demands it. 
Each person playing is given the name of 
some part of a fisherman's outfit, as reel, rod, 
line, net, fish basket, bait, bobbin, and so 
on, and the story must mention each of the 
names that have been given to the players. 
But first arrange the chairs into two rows, 
back to back, and let all sit on them. As each 
hears his name mentioned, he must rise and 
run to head the procession or to join those 
already marching around the chairs. In a 
short time all players will be marching, each 
with his hands on the shoulders of the one 
ahead. While the march continues, the leader 
slips away one chair. When the story reaches 
the point where the fisherman has a ''bite," 
the line breaks, and all run for the chairs. 



NEWER GAMES FOR CHILDREN 63 

The person who failed to get a chair then 
takes up his position beside the leader, and 
when "another bite" is announced by the 
tale, he has another chance to get a seat. It 
is best to have the chair slipped away without 
the players' seeing it if possible, for this makes 
a surprise for the entire company, including 
the one left out. 



CHAPTER III 
GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 

Some of us are apt to put our best effort 
into merrymakings when "company" is pres- 
ent, and to neglect the family in the evenings 
when only they are present. It is a great 
mistake to reserve ourselves too entirely 
for guests and formal occasions, for of all 
genuine good times, requiring neither fuss 
nor frills, the evening party confined to the 
family and ''intimates" is perhaps the best 
of all. 

As soon as the cold evenings bring us all 
indoors, try to corral every member of the 
household at least once a week for a rousing 
good time in the living room. Saturday is 
perhaps the best day for it, as the ''lessons" 
of the younger ones may otherwise require 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 65 

their attention; and no one who is at 
home should be allowed to escape. If some 
one shows a disposition to moon away by 
himself, write a formal letter, comically 
couched in the stately third person, inviting 
him or her in the name of the household to 
present himself and play his part in the fun. 
Occasionally it will be found a good plan to 
make each young person responsible in turn 
for the evening's fun, — that is, for a plan for 
it; but again each may have a suggestion on 
the spur of the moment to contribute to the 
programme. 

BLIND BREAKFAST 

For the first family jollification here is a 
plan already to your hand. Blindfold two 
members of the party, conduct them to 
opposite ends of the room, there to stand fac- 
ing each other, and then ask them to walk 
to each other and shake hands. Each goes 
with outstretched hand, and it is ten to one 
that he goes laughably wide of the mark. 
After all have tried the handshake stunt. 



66 GAMES AND PARTIES 

blindfold two, seat them on opposite sides of 
the table, give each a spoon and tell them to 
''feed each other" with the contents of a 
box of breakfast food — of some kind which 
is tasty and does not need cooking. This 
is screamingly funny, the spoon so seldom 
going where it is intended to go. Every one 
will want to have a bout with some one else 
at this "forcible feeding." 

THE POWDER WANDS 

To a couple of flexible willow sticks with 
soft ends fasten a couple of powder puffs 
dipped in powder or in flour. Wads of raw 
cotton will do if the puffs are not handy. 
Now arming two players at a time with these 
instruments, have a fencing match, the points 
to be counted by the number of white dabs 
on coat or gown of one's opponent. If the 
sticks are at all firm, and are capable of doing 
damage in case of a slip, give each fencer a 
big sieve with a handle with which to screen 
his face. Its absurd appearance adds to the 
fun of the game. 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 67 

DO AS I DO 

Do As I Do is a good game with which to 
raise a laugh, and one that can be played at 
a moment's notice. The mimic of the house- 
hold is the best one to start it, as this boy or 
girl can always be relied on for some funny 
facial contortions and other antics hard to 
imitate. All the players stand in a row facing 
the starter, who after instructing them to 
Do As I Do, evolves some facial grimaces 
which the others must faithfully copy. From 
grimaces, he proceeds to contortions, and 
finally, breaking into a run, leads his followers 
a merry race through as many rooms as are 
open for the romp. A lively leader will 
jump over low obstacles, crawl under others 
and will keep it up until everybody is out of 
breath. 

MUSICAL NUT HUNT 

Remind some one to bring home a couple 
of bags of peanuts, and just before playing 
this good game, distribute the peanuts all 



68 GAMES AND PARTIES 

around the room. Some may be hidden, and 
others placed within sight of all. Put some 
as high up and as far away as possible to en- 
courage the adventurous after the easier nuts 
have all been gathered up. It is not neces- 
sary to hide the nuts secretly for this game, 
though that may be done to make a surprise 
feature of it. Get some one to the piano, 
when all the nuts are hidden, and line up the 
players as for *' Going to Jerusalem." When 
the music begins, — a marching air is best, — 
all march to it, clapping their hands. When 
it breaks off, all run to gather the nuts, as- 
sembling as soon as the first notes of the re- 
sumed melody are heard. Any one who col- 
lects any nuts after the music starts forfeits 
all he has taken up to that point. The mu- 
sician will, of course, be clever enough to 
make many false breaks just long enough to 
break up the line and not long enough to al- 
low of any nutting, for these false alarms and 
similar tricks add greatly to the excitement. 
The one who gets most nuts wins the game 
and has all the booty he captures for his 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 69 

share, but some provision in the way of a 
share must be made for the one who is obliging 
enough to provide the music. 

THOUGHT TRANSFERENCE 

Just how the thought is transferred in this 
game it is hard to explain, but it never fails 
to work, and can prove immensely amusing 
for half an hour or more. One person is 
blindfolded, and after the bandage is put 
on, all the rest of the company agree upon a 
certain stunt for the Blindman to perform, — 
we will say to cross the room, pick up a cush- 
ion, place it on a chair, and sit on it. Two 
guides are then stationed by the Blindman, 
who think steadily of the stunt he is to per- 
form and who place one hand on each of the 
Blindman's shoulders, but do not otherwise 
help him in his task. Slowly and with 
uncertain movements, the Blindman begins 
to feel the transference of thought, and 
gradually working round toward the object 
on which all have focused their attention, he 
will perform the feat required of him. 



70 GAMES AND PARTIES 

FISHERMAN 

A large round table about which all can sit 
at once is the proper setting for the simple 
but lively game of Fisherman. Provide a 
short stick or twig, and to one end of it tie a 
length of twine with a wide loop at one end. 
The player who holds this is called the Fish- 
erman. The Fisherman must cast his line 
in such a way that the loop will lie flat upon 
the table about the center of the board. 
When he says "Whose fish.f^" all the players 
pose their finger tips (that is, each places the 
forefinger of the right hand) within the loop. 
When he calls out *' My Fish ! " it is a signal for 
all to withdraw their fingers as fast as possible, 
but this has to be done so quickly that it fre- 
quently happens many fingers are caught. All 
fish (fingers) caught belong to the Fisherman, 
and each represents a point toward his score. 
Each player has one turn as Fisherman. 

SQUARING THE CIRCLE 

You can have an original jigsaw puzzle 
game for all to play, with a sheet of card- 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 71 

board and several pairs of scissors as sole 
apparatus; in fact, if necessary, paper can 
take the place of cardboard. Simply cut out 
from the cardboard or the paper as many 
squares as there are players present. Have 
all draw their chairs up in the form of a circle 
and give each member of the company a 
square of paper and a pair of scissors. With 
four snips of the scissors in any direction he 
cuts his square into sections, after which the 
sections are jumbled together. When the 
signal is given, each player hands his divided 
square to the person seated exactly opposite 
and receives the square of the vis-a-vis in 
return. His aim becomes to reconstruct the 
pieces handed him as rapidly as possible, for 
the person first to do so is winner of the round. 
The pieces can be mixed several times and 
handed to a different puzzler each time, thus 
prolonging the game. 

RUNABOUT GAMES 

Games which entail a runabout race are 
always jolly, and the grown-ups will be found 



72 GAMES AND PARTIES 

to enjoy them just as much as the merest 
youngster does. Here is one of the best of 
them to try at your Saturday evening re- 
union. Bring the nut dish in from the dining- 
room sideboard and place it on the table. 
One by one let each person present perform 
the following stunt : Thrust the hand, palm 
down, into the dishful of nuts, scooping up 
all that he can on the back of the hand, 
and then trot around the entire room, trying 
to hold the nuts which have been scooped up 
in the position in which they were taken. 
Only those which remain on the hand after 
the trip around the room has been accom- 
plished count toward the game. 

POTATO RACE 

Provide some medium-sized potatoes. Give 
each of three contestants a dinner knife, on 
the blade of which he is to poise a potato. 
Let them start from one end of the room, 
race each other to the opposite end and 
then hurry back to the starting point. The 
one who carries his potato through all these 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 73 

maneuvers without once dropping it, is 
winner of the round. Now, let those who 
win the different rounds match each other 
until some one is champion and winner of 
the game. 

Another way to play this good game is 
the following : Have from three to six chairs 
in a row at one end of the room and potatoes 
on these (from one to three potatoes on each, 
as you prefer), and at the opposite end of the 
room have empty chairs. When the hand- 
kerchief falls, each of the first three (of the 
six) contestants, armed with a broad-bladed 
knife as before, endeavors to scoop up his 
potato and carry it to the chair across the 
room and back again. If three potatoes 
form the task, he endeavors to get all three 
to the chair opposite and then back again be- 
fore any one else can accomplish the feat. 
When the first relay of players has attempted 
the feat, let another group step forth and try 
their hands, and so on until all have given 
proof of their prowess. Boys and girls alike 
will enjoy this game. 



74 GAMES AND PARTIES 

COMIC CARD RACE 

A pack of cards afifords apparatus for all 
kinds of amusing games which are not to be 
found in Hoyle. For instance, arranging 
the chairs as in the potato game at opposite 
ends of the room, their seats facing each 
other, you can have a lively card race. On 
the seats of those chairs which form the start- 
ing point for the game arrange cards in a 
square. Any will do. When the signal is 
given, the competitors begin to carry the 
cards forward to the empty chairs, one at a 
time. On the empty chairs they must be 
grouped in the exact position from which they 
are originally taken, and when the group is 
thus completed, they are to be carried back 
in the same way, that is, one at a time, and 
grouped as they were first found. It is, of 
course, the player who soonest gets all his 
cards back to the starting point and in their 
original order who wins the race. 

Follow this race with another new one for 
which but one row of chairs is needed. On 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 75 

each chair is half a pack of cards, two players 
racing at once. Or if you have two packs 
handy, four persons can compete at the same 
time, dividing the two packs over four chairs. 
Players who are to race stand back of the 
chairs. As the signal is given, each takes the 
little heap of cards from the chair, runs to 
the opposite side of the room, surrounds him- 
self with the cards placed side by side to form 
a ring, and when the ring is completed gathers 
up the cards once more, runs back to the 
chair and places them in the original little 
mound. The one first to accomplish this 
feat wins the round. 

PAD AND PENCIL CONTESTS 

After the romping games have furnished 
plenty of excitement, paper and pencils fur- 
nish amusement equally good, but less breath- 
taking. For instance, some one could dic- 
tate numbers in Arabic numerals to be written 
out in Roman notation to see who can best 
write them in the latter more difficult form. 
Dates to be written "as the Roman would 



76 GAMES AND PARTIES 

have written them" would test the mental 
caliber of the players pretty thoroughly. 

GESTURES 

A simple game, but one which never fails 
to amuse, is based on pantomime. Each 
player is given a folded slip on which is writ- 
ten some mental attitude or emotion, such 
as Hate, Fear, Joy, Peace, Gratitude, Wel- 
come, Benevolence, Envy. Each slip bears 
also a number, and in the order represented 
by his number each one must rise and pan- 
tomime his word. The fun lies in guessing 
what word is acted out. 

ANOTHER GESTURE GAME 

Players sit in a row and cover their eyes 
with their hands. Back of them stands the 
leader, who assumes some comic attitude, 
such, for example, as lifting a few strands of 
hair with thumb and forefinger and holding 
them upright. Those who are in the row 
are then called on by the leader to "Guess 
my gesture ", — the one behind whom the 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 77 

leader stands guessing the first gesture and 
so on. If any player fail to guess the gesture, 
and generally he will fail, he must stand, 
assuming the gesture of the leader until 
allowed to stop. Or the gesture he guessed 
may be the penance imposed. 

THE NO EYES GAME 

A feeling or touch contest is entertaining 
and will puzzle the cleverest guesser. Have 
a table spread with ordinary objects, pref- 
erably those which cost little and will not 
break, such as tin kitchen supplies, toys, 
and homely household belongings in general. 
The table is then covered with a large square 
of muslin or chintz which conceals the articles 
completely. 

One by one players are summoned to the 
table, where they are called on to close their 
eyes and put their left hand under the cover 
to feel as many of the objects as possible in 
the short time allowed for it. After return- 
ing to their seats, they are requested to make 
out a list of the objects touched. The best 



78 GAMES AND PARTIES 

set of names, often far from the correct, 
as the test is more difficult than it sounds, 
wins a prize. 

THE BUCKET BRIGADE 

This very Hvely game imitates the manner 
of extinguishing a fire where there is no hose 
or engine. It consists in passing "buckets" 
from hand to hand along a line of players. 
The "buckets" in the game are represented 
by a large number of miscellaneous and un- 
breakable articles gathered up around the 
house in a hiirry, slippers, books, apples, 
balls, tops, napkin rings, handkerchiefs, — 
in fact anything suitable that you can get 
hold of at the moment. Divide the com- 
pany into two lines or bands, and let each side 
choose a leader. The bands stand facing 
each other with their captains at the head, 
and each captain has beside him a basket 
filled with articles. At the opposite end of 
the line a chair is placed and a player stands 
facing the chair. When the word "Begin" 
is given, each captain begins dipping the 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 79 

articles from his basket and passing them one 
by one very rapidly down the line. Each 
player has to receive the article in one hand, 
and transfer it to the other hand before he 
passes it on to his neighbor. The player 
who is beside the chair is the last one to re- 
ceive the articles, and it is his task to pile 
them up on the chair without dropping a 
single one. As soon as the last article from 
a line has been received, the player at the 
chair begins to pass the articles back the 
same way they came to him — that is, one 
by one and very rapidly. This results in 
the basket being once more refilled. The 
side which completes the circuit soonest is 
victorious. Any article dropped must be 
picked up before another object can be 
passed. 

Another way of playing is to pass the article 
down the line and back again to the leader, 
who replaces it before he can start another 
article. The side which passes all the various 
things and replaces them the quickest of course 
wins. 



80 GAMES AND PARTIES 

UP JENKINS 

Divide the players into two equal bands 
and seat them at a long table. Usually the 
dining table will be the only one found large 
enough. Opponent bands face each other 
across the table. Each division has pre- 
viously chosen a captain and the captains 
occupy the ends of the table. The players 
now place their hands palms down and flat 
upon the table. A twenty -five cent piece 
is produced and given to one division. The 
members of the division receiving the coin 
must pass it from hand to hand by shuffling 
it along and without allowing the opponents 
to see whether it is passed or not. The ob- 
ject is to conceal from the sharpest eyes of 
the other division just which player receives 
the coin in his closed fist. The captain of 
the opposing division then calls '*Up Jen- 
kins ", and this is a signal for all players of the 
side which holds the coin to close their hands 
tightly and bring them up above the table. 
When the second command from the oppo- 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 81 

nent leader of ''Down Jenkins" is heard, all 
must slap their palms down upon the table. 
The palm must be held flat and the object is 
to do this without making the slightest click 
or sound of the metal. If he has heard no 
sound, the opponent leader may guess. To 
do this he commands some one in the oppo- 
nent band to "Show Up." The player told 
to show up must lift and open his hands. If 
the coin was in them, it passes to the side 
that guessed correctly. The opponents in 
that case receive the coin and shuffle it, 
concealed in the same way as described. 
But if the guess was incorrect, the coin re- 
mains with the first division, — those who 
originally received it, — until by a lucky 
guess the opposition win it for themselves. 

It adds to the fun of the game that any 
player in any division can issue commands 
in a very imperative tone for the purpose of 
misleading the enemy and causing him to 
open his hand, but by the rules of the game 
no attention is to be paid to commands so 
issued, and if the opposition captain issue a 



82 GAMES AND PARTIES 

command that is not couched exactly as 
described, no attention need be paid to his 
orders, either. 

Sometimes the group holding the money 
keep their hands under the table while the 
coin is being passed, raising them high in 
the air at the command of "Up Jenkins", 
and bringing them down noisily on the table 
at "Down Jenkins." In this way, it is even 
more diiBScult to locate the money. 

RIDDLE BEE 

Either get a riddle book or prepare in ad- 
vance a list of riddles old and new, having 
the list as long as possible. The game is 
arranged like an old-fashioned spelling bee, 
save that there are riddles to answer instead 
of words to spell. Some one acts as Teacher 
and propounds the questions, while the rest 
are School Children, and stand facing Teacher. 
Those who fail go down, and those who cor- 
rect them go up until some one reaches the 
head of the class and cannot be dislodged. 
Old and familiar conundrums and those which 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 83 

are laughably bad are all available for the fun 
of a riddle bee. 

COMPOUNDING TAG 

Play tag a new way,, and you will have the 
room in a roar in five minutes. Make one 
person It, and give him a little feather duster 
or a palm-leaf fan to tag with. As soon as 
some one is caught, this person joins hands 
with the It, and together they go in search 
of further captives, the second person also 
receiving a duster or fan to tag with. Wher- 
ever a new captive is made, this person must 
take the hands of the one who tagged him, 
player after player being added until a long 
line is formed. The person at each end of 
the line always has the power to tag, and the 
real fun of the game comes about when a long 
line holding hands is in pursuit of a nimble 
boy or girl who alone remains to be caught. 

AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR 

Arrange a double row of chairs back to 
back. Let each boy ask a girl to be his 



84 GAMES AND PARTIES 

partner. Partners sit back to back. The 

boy receives a pencil and paper. The girl 

thinks of something, the name of which she 

does not mention, but which she describes 

to her partner in great detail. He must draw 

a picture of it without knowing what it is she 

describes or without seeing her while she 

describes it. When the drawing is finished, 

the girl must write under it the name of the 

thing she had in mind. The names of both 

author and illustrator are also written on the 

sketch, after which some one who is to act 

as judge says which is the best illustration 

considered with its subject, and awards the 

prize. 

TOE-THE-MARK 

Arrange two books on the floor for the 
starting point and goal. Let two players 
prepare to match each other in a race and 
give each three walnuts. See who can soon- 
est get all three walnuts to the goal by push- 
ing them with the toe of his shoe. Each nut 
must be pushed alternately and not kicked. 
Winners match winners until a champion is 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 85 

found. Another way to play this good game 
is to roll the nuts over the course with walking- 
sticks. 

AUTOGRAPH COLLECTING 

Each player receives a card with pencil 
attached, and the fun lies in seeing who can 
in fifteen minutes get most other members 
of the company to write their names on his or 
her card. A prize may be given for the 
greatest number of names. 

MY NEIGHBOR, HIS BIOGRAPHY 

A writing game often varies the program 
pleasantly, and of these one called Biography 
of My Neighbor is sometimes very funny. 
Each player is given a sheet of paper and 
ink or pencil and is called on to write the 
biography of the person who sits at his left 
hand. Of course a nonsense biography is 
wanted, and the funniest should take the prize. 

GOOD ADVICE OR BAD ADVICE 

Having first received a pencil and paper or 
a card for the purpose, each player is asked 



86 GAMES AND PARTIES 

to write a piece of advice and then to fold his 
paper. He passes the folded paper to the 
person seated at his left, who must first say 
whether the advice passed is good or bad. 
When the advice a player has commended or 
condemned is read aloud, the results are 
very amusing. Sometimes, too, the differ- 
ence of opinion will lead to pleasant and fun- 
provoking discussion, 

AUCTION CATALOGUE 

This is a variation of Auction which I have 
originated and which ought to be popular 
even in groups where the regular game is 
impossible for some reason ; for illustration, 
where time is lacking to prepare a gift for 
each player's bundle. For this new version 
do not prepare any gifts, but simply cut out 
a picture of some desirable thing from the 
advertisements. Enclose in an envelope and 
number the envelope. Then give the com- 
pany representing the future purchasers fifty 
beans each, appoint a clever auctioneer, and 
let the players bid in the pictures without 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 87 

knowing what they represent, but endeavor- 
ing to guess the contents, of course, from 
the auctioneer's description. The auctioneer 
must have a list numbered Uke the envelopes 
by which he is guided in making his descrip- 
tions. Now, after each has bought an en- 
velop, see who can guess most of the articles 
pictured in the envelopes. Award a prize 
if you can for the best guesses and also one 
if possible to the one who is thought to have 
gotten best value for his money (beans) in 
the contents of his envelopes. 

ANAGRAMS 

Have a box or bowl of anagram letters. 
Let each, blindfold, dip out twenty from the 
receptacle, or simply have the dealer hand 
each player twenty-five at random. Then 
see who can make the best word or longest 
phrase from those chips drawn. Of course 
should any word be particularly appropriate 
to the day or season being celebrated, that 
would win the prize. Another good game is 
genuine Anagrams. This is played by giv- 



88 GAMES AND PARTIES 

ing each player a word, from the letters of 
which he forms an anagram or puzzle. Then 
let each pass his anagram to his neighbor 
and see who will first guess the original word 
of the letters passed to him. An illustration 
of a good anagram is Great Help from Tele- 
graph. 

MAGIC MUSIC 

Nothing could be pleasanter in an evening's 
programme than occasionally to introduce a 
musical pastime. This is an old game, but 
one whose mirth is ever new. Some one of 
the players leaves the room, and while he is 
absent the rest decide upon a simple action 
which he must perform on his return. Such 
an action as straightening a chair or picking 
up a book from the couch is the kind of thing 
to choose. Now call him in, and have some 
one at the piano all ready to guide him in 
his efforts by playing louder as he approaches 
the object he is to lift or turn, and lower 
as he moves away from it, — the strains be- 
coming faint and even dying out if he wan- 
ders very far from the proper spot. A funny 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 89 

version of this game is where all the players 
stand with hands upon each other's shoul- 
ders, forming a line behind the person who 
is to perform the stunt. All the others must 
follow where he leads them, guided by the 
magic music. This is really the liveliest 
way to play Magic Music. 

SHADOW SECRETS 

A sheet with candle back of it is arranged 
as with silhouettes. One player, who is 
guesser, is seated upon a low stool facing it. 
The only light in the room where the secrets 
are divulged is a lamp on a table directly 
in the center of the space. Between this and 
the player on the stool the others pass in 
succession, so that their shadows are thrown 
upon the curtain in strong relief. The guesser 
must endeavor to identify his comrades by 
name, and if he succeeds, the first one cor- 
rectly named takes his place. All kinds of 
antics and strange disguises are permitted to 
the shadows endeavoring to prolong the 
blindman's period of guessing. As soon as 



90 GAMES AND PARTIES 

he has correctly guessed a shadow, he becomes 
an actor and the shade guessed is bhndman. 

CLUMPS 

A great favorite wherever known is this 
good game and one that well deserves its 
popularity. The company is formed into 
two hostile bands, and each party has a cap- 
tain that represents the band or clump. 
The two persons retire into the hall and 
there they decide upon some person, object, 
event, or idea which is to be guessed by the 
rest of the company. Upon the return of 
the commanders, each captain joins the 
clump of the opponents, who have the priv- 
ilege of questioning him to any extent in an 
attempt to discover what was chosen. It is 
the part of the captain, of course, to answer 
as evasively as possible while at the same 
time in nowise departing from the letter 
of the truth. The side that first guesses the 
thing is of course victorious and takes into 
its ranks both captains. Another leader from 
each side is then chosen, and the game goes 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 91 

on. As many rounds as liked can be played, 

and the side having most members (or having 

taken most prisoners, in other words) wins the 

game. 

QUOTATION ALPHABET 

This is one of the many good games re- 
quiring letter chips of the kind that come 
either in cardboard or bone. Those who 
cannot get the chips can cut out and stiffen 
the capital letters from newspaper headlines 
and will find these a splendid substitute. 
Twenty such letter chips are dealt to each 
player and are turned by him face downward 
on the table in front of him. The game 
begins at the left of the dealer, the player 
seated there turning up a letter so that all 
can see it and calling for a quotation from 
some famous poet or prose writer, to begin 
with the letter turned up. As soon as the 
letter is revealed, the person appointed as 
timekeeper either slowly counts aloud thirty 
or watches the clock and calls out "Time!" 
at the expiration of the half minute. In 
that time, if no one has answered, the person 



92 GAMES AND PARTIES 

who drew the letter may then give a quota- 
tion himself and retain the letter. If no one 
responds, not even the leader being equal to 
it, it is laid aside, and is given to the next 
player who wins a letter. If any one gives 
a quotation which no one knows, he may be 
challenged to name the author or the source 
of it, and if he fails to do so, he loses as if he 
had given no verse, the attempt being thrown 
out. No quotation or any part of it may be 
given more than once. When X or Z are 
turned, it may be added to the winnings of 
the player who drew it without requiring 
him or her to give a quotation. 

This is a capital game to draw out the 
many boys or girls who are bright in a literary 
way though backward at general conver- 
sation. It will indeed afford them a chance 
to shine. For younger children, it is, of 
course, much too taxing. 

AUNT JEMIMA'S TRUNK 

A trunk is imagined and players in turn 
contribute something to stock it with, the 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 93 

fun lying in the fact that each thing contrib- 
uted by those who precede must be re- 
peated by every player, who also adds a 
new article to the list. 

Number One. ''I packed Miss Jemima's 
trunk with a Paris hat." 

Player Number Two. **I packed Miss 
Jemima's trunk with a Paris hat and a lace 
fichu." 

Player Number Three. *'I packed Miss 
Jemima's trunk with a Paris hat, a lace 
fichu, and a box of chocolate-covered marsh- 
mallows." 

Those who fail to repeat the list correctly 
and in proper order have to give forfeits. 

YOUR BIRTHPLACE 

Give each player a slip of paper and pencil, 
inviting all to draw their chairs around a 
table. On the paper ask each to write down 
the name of his birthplace, city, town, or 
village, county or state, whichever he may 
select. Then ask each one to separate the 
letters in the name of his birthplace and, using 



94 GAMES AND PARTIES 

each letter as an initial, to form a sentence on 
any subject with them. Those who wish a 
novel game of telegrams can ask each to com- 
pose a telegram or message, using the letters 

as initials. 

TEAPOT 

There are two ways of playing this game, 
one simpler version which is particularly ad- 
visable for the younger people and one more 
taxing. For the simpler version, one child 
is questioner, and it is his object to make the 
others laugh, thereby incurring forfeits. Each 
question asked by the questioner must be 
answered with the word Teapot. The ludi- 
crous effect of this answer to different ques- 
tions will make the little people laugh in 
spite of themselves. The more difBcult ver- 
sion is where the players secretly agree on a 
certain word, preferably one that has differ- 
ent meanings and the same sound, as rain, 
reign, etc. In this game it is the object of 
the questioner to guess what word has been 
chosen. The others prevent his guessing it 
by substituting the word Teapot for the one 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 95 

chosen, while at the same time answering 

with a phrase in which the selected word would 

by rights figure. Thus if the question asked 

where ''How did you grow such a beautiful 

garden?" The answer might be "Perhaps 

the teapot made it grow." The answers will, 

of course, be pure nonsense, with just enough 

of a hint in them to help the guesser on his 

way. 

CHARADED PROVERBS 

This is a game which will draw out and 
develop qualities of invention and ingenuity 
in older ones as well as in the young people of 
schooldays age. The usual way to play it is 
to divide the company into two divisions and 
to have each division choose a proverb which 
they will act out in dumb-show. While one 
side is acting, the other side must try to guess 
what wise old saw is being played for them. 
When they have guessed, they become aLctors, 
while the former dramatis personse act as 
audience and guess. 

Titles of well-known books, names of fa- 
mous people, and familiar quotations, such 



96 GAMES AND PARTIES 

as many from Shakespeare, may also be used 
as subjects for the charades. 

THREE LIVES 

Ask any one of the company to think of a 
word and speak the letter which must begin 
the word aloud. This game is played in a 
circle, and the person at the left of the one 
who chose the word now accepts the letter 
without knowing what the word was, of 
course, and adds a second letter to the first 
one, but without saying what his word was. 
The third player now thinks of a word be- 
ginning with the two letters given and adds 
a third letter, but he must do so with care, 
for if the letter added completes the word, he 
is caught and must pay a forfeit. His object 
is merely to add a letter without completing 
a word. Any one who completes a word 
loses one of the three lives allotted him by 
the rules of the game. As soon as he has lost 
three lives, he becomes a ghost, has a sheet 
wrapped around him, and stations himself 
behind some player's chair, where he en- 



GAMES FOR THE FAMILY 97 

deavors by diverting his attention to bring 
him also to grief. 

I LOVE MY LOVE 

Players sit in a circle for this game. Some 
one then begins in this form : ''I love my love 
with an A because she is admirable. I hate 
her with an A because she is artificial. Her 
name is Annabel, and she was born in Argen- 
tine. I took her to Allentown and gave her 
some apricots." The second player in the 
circle must then think up a similar statement 
about his love, but with words all commencing 
with B. Thus: "I love my love with a B 
because she is beauteous. I hate her with a 
B because she is boastful. Her name is 
Beatrice, and she comes from Boston. I took 
her to Bolivia and treated her to bananas." 
The next player continues in the same way 
with C, and so on around the entire ring and 
throughout the letters of the alphabet except 
X and Z. 

A still more difficult version which the older 
boys and girls will enjoy is where the adjec- 



98 GAMES AND PARTIES 

tives in the game, also the name of the love 
must be doubled. Thus : " I love my love with 
a D because she is dutiful and demure. I 
hate her with a D because she is devious and 
dilatory. Her name is Dorothea-Daisy. She 
comes from Dover. I took her to Detroit 
and treated her to dates and doughnuts." 

THE MINISTER'S CAT 

In this game the players are supposed to 
be discussing the interesting pet named in 
the title. Each in turn must apply some 
adjective to the cat beginning with the letter 
A. Thus the first player might say: ''The 
minister's cat is an amiable cat", while player 
number two thinks that ''The minister's cat 
is an aggravating cat", and number three 
thinks that "The minister's cat is an au- 
dacious cat", and so on until some one cannot 
think of an adjective. This person then drops 
out of the game and the company changes 
to the letter B, as a "bad cat", or a "bold 
cat." Continue until all the players have 
been caught, using different letters. 



CHAPTER IV 
HOW TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS 

THE CHILDREN'S NEW YEAR FROLIC 

A JUVENILE event given on New Year's 
Eve or during the early part of January 
might be a costume affair. Whether masked 
or not, each child on entering the hospitable 
scene should be greeted by Father Time, a 
very cheery impersonation of this hoary 
personage who shakes each youngster by the 
hand, tells him to do his best not to grow up, 
or any other nonsense which occurs at the 
moment, and wishes him a very happy New 
Year. 

When all have arrived, Father Time ex- 
plains that it will now be in order to find 
fortunes for the New Year. Accordingly 
the children are formed in line and march 



100 GAMES AND PARTIES 

around the room to a lively tune. Sometimes 
the music goes very gaily, at others it prac- 
tically dies away, but whether loud or low, 
the children follow it until it breaks ofiF, 
which is always suddenly. They then break 
ranks and scamper oflF in all directions to 
search for hidden boxes containing fortunes. 
Each child keeps the box he finds first, as 
that is the fortune particularly applicable to 
his case. Having found one, he ceases to 
hunt. 

Here are some of the simple fortunes 
which will delight children. An older person 
can interpret each after the game is over : 

A five-cent piece. You will earn some 
money and will start a bank account. 

Toy ship. You will make a trip by sea. 

A toy train of cars. You will make a trip 
by rail. 

A pen. You will become a writer. 

Chocolate horseshoe. You will have great 
good luck during the coming year. The 
signification of a four-leaf clover in chocolate 
or candy form is the same as that of the 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 101 

horseshoe. Each Httle fortune should be 
chosen so that it will be a gift as well as 
prophecy. 

Then have games representing the four 
seasons, such as making flowers from tissue 
paper, for spring. For summer, gathering 
apples, the game being to see who can find 
and gather up most rosy apples for his basket. 
For autumn there might be a shower of 
autumn leaves (of paper) cut in half, and the 
little people might be called on to patch these 
halves together, with a prize for the one 
matching most leaves correctly. The winter 
game will probably have to do with snow. 
For instance, there might be a snowball- 
throwing contest, the target a basket of 
prizes wrapped in white paper. 

For the refreshment table have the place 
cards cut and painted to represent New Year's 
wreaths with the names of the guests written 
on them in red or white ink. Or there could 
be a pretty New Year's card with a good 
wish on it at each cover, and the child's name 
on that. Souvenirs and other trifles mean 



102 GAMES AND PARTIES 

so much to children, and these are so inex- 
pensive at hoHday time, that each youngster 
could have at least one five-cent gift in ad- 
dition to his pretty card. 

A LINCOLN'S BIRTHDAY DINNER 

A pleasant way to celebrate the natal day 
of our beloved ''Father Abraham" is by a 
dinner. Those whose birthdays occur on or 
around February twelfth might well com- 
bine the two occasions and have a memorable 
good time in honor of both. Have a big 
iced cake and fasten red, white, and blue 
candles on it. At the different places have 
tiny chocolate dolls waving American flags, 
and around the neck of each doll tie a place 
card on which is written a sentiment from 
Lincoln's writings. Have these sentiments 
read aloud during the progress of the meal. 
Get the breadsticks which are about the 
length of your hand, and stack these up to 
suggest the log cabin of Lincoln's boyhood. 
In these log cabins stick more flags. Drape 
flags of larger size over the dining room doors 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 103 

and surround a bust of Lincoln by laurel 
leaves. These might be of crepe paper. 

After dinner, which for children would 
better be simple, you might arrange a jolly 
Link-on contest in honor of the day. Hide 
strips of paper about twenty inches long and 
an inch and a half wide (the paper must be 
strong) all around the room. Have plenty 
of mucilage bottles, or a bowl in which muci- 
lage has been poured, and a number of match 
sticks or brushes. The object is to find the 
strips and form them into links, so as to have 
a paper chain. The strips must be glued one 
by one as found, and before any others are 
searched for. The first is glued as a circle, 
then the second is linked through the first 
and so on. Needless to say each glues to 
his chain only such links as he himself finds. 
All gluing must be neatly and nicely done, 
and the chain must hold together. Award a 
prize to the one whose link-on chain is long- 
est, and let this be a booklet of wit and 
wisdom from the writings or sayings of Lin- 
coln. The same game can be played by 



104 GAMES AND PARTIES 

hiding pieces of thin wire which may be 
found and formed into a chain by Unking 
one in another. Or divide the company into 
two bands, and let each have a Leader who 
links the wires as quickly as they are brought. 
Then all who form the longest chains in ten 
minutes might draw for the prize. It is a 
very lively and novel game. 

"WITH ALL MY HEART" 

Most children will be giving or going to 
parties on Valentine's Day, I am sure, and 
therefore they will want dainty plans either 
for their own good time or to help out a friend 
whose plans are incomplete. Probably they 
will want to have the merrymaking an ''AH 
My Heart Aflfair", so here are some plans for 
that kind of party ! 

First get the little cardboard hearts that 
come by the package already cut out, as they 
are cheap and pretty, and in each cut a 
heart-shaped door (having first drawn it in 
with pencil). Now leave the door a little 
open to show that there is writing on the 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 105 

other side, and on the reverse of the door 
write : 

" May I welcome you in my house and 
heart on February 14th at (address, date, 
time, etc., follow) ? 

" Affectionately your friend 
"Annabel Lee." 

Now having secured a roll of pink crepe 
paper, drape the door with it, so that it is 
arranged like a heart-shaped frame. 

Hang from the chandelier one of the pretty, 
pasteboard lithographed Cupids sold by the 
favor houses. Attach to pink ribbons as 
many tiny cardboard hearts as you have 
girls in the party. Make a slit in the Cupid 
and draw the ribbons to which the hearts 
are hung through the slit. When this is 
done, the ribbons will hang on one side, hearts 
on another. Let each girl take a heart, each 
boy a ribbon, and then pull, when of course 
the Cupid will be rent in twain, and each 
boy will find himself holding the heart of 
some little maid. Those so matched become 



106 GAMES AND PARTIES 

partners for the first dance, if you wish to 
dance, and for supper. 

Or you could play progressive hearts and 
have heart-shaped prizes, a pincushion for the 
girl's prize, and a blotting pad for the boy's, 
with candy hearts for the boobies. 

Or try this spirited search game. Let 
each girl write her name on a heart provided 
by the hostess for the purpose. Through 
the top of each heart is drawn a pink ribbon. 
The boys are banished to the hall for just a 
few minutes while the girls tie their hearts, 
with the name side down, to chair backs, 
table legs, and any other good position that 
seems available. When the boys are recalled, 
each is told what girl's heart he must search 
for. When it is found, the heart must be 
untied and then carried to the timekeeper, 
who will award a prize for the first one brought 
to him. The ribbon must be untied, not 
broken. The hearts used in the first pairing- 
off feature can be used for this search just 
as well. Give a pink, heart-shaped candy 
box as a prize. 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 107 

For supper serve hearts of tongue or ham, 
and heart-shaped soda biscuit and butter, 
hearts of pink-tinted cream cheese on let- 
tuce, and then ice cream in heart-shaped 
baskets and pink, iced cakes and candy. 

For your valentine table, the centerpiece 
might be a large favor holder in the shape of 
a cake iced in pink. The favors may be 
pulled out with ribbons, or the top lifted off, 
and the gifts fished for with poles and ribbon 
lines having hooks on the end. Any large 
favor house could supply such a surprise cake. 

COOKY VALENTINES 
Ask your mother to make for you some 
heart-shaped cookies, and take them to school 
on February fourteenth. The boys and girls 
will be delighted to receive your valentines. 

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 
To have a change from the tricolor. Co- 
lonial colors (buff and blue) are good to use 
for decorations. Cut '* ribbons" or fringed 
garlands from buflF and blue crepe paper, 
and where they are caught up in festooning 



108 GAMES AND PARTIES 

them across the room use little cocked-hat 
shapes made from black paper. Or instead 
of the cocked hats, quaint, old-time match- 
locks shaped from cardboard may be used. 
Pictures of Colonial days clipped from the 
magazines and tinted make a pretty decora- 
tion to tack upon the walls. 

The motive of the cherry tree and hatchet 
can be developed so as to be quite a little 
out of the usual. The day before the en- 
tertainment try to get a large branch of 
some dead tree, and tack this up above the 
folding doors or in some other prominent 
position. Deck it out with tissue paper 
leaves, among which tie big cherries made 
of scarlet tissue or crSpe over raw cotton. 
In each cherry tuck away a souvenir, a for- 
tune, a joke, or puzzle which, when the fruit 
is distributed toward the close of the enter- 
tainment, will add a mirthful feature to the 
programme. 

For festoons use the pretty crepe paper 
which comes in cherry design, cut in scalloped 
outlines or in any other attractive way which 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 109 

fancy dictates. Finish with hatchet shapes 
cut from scarlet cardboard. 

Pretty soldier caps made from the cherry- 
patterned paper napkins can be distributed 
at the door. 

Secure in advance several packages of the 
little hatchet shapes which come all ready 
cut out in cardboard of different colors, and 
cut each hatchet in three or more pieces 
according to size. Have a pile of the clipped 
hatchets in the center of the table and give 
each child a jackstraw hook or a pair of tin 
candy tongs. With the hook or tongs the 
youngsters help themselves one at a time to 
sections of the cardboard. Each piece as 
received is shifted about in an endeavor to 
form an entire hatchet from it. Each hatchet 
formed counts one point toward the game, 
but pieces must be taken from the pile with 
whatever implement the hostess provides; 
indiscriminate grabbing is not allowed by 
the rules of the contest. Give the child who 
succeeds best a book of stories about patriots 
of Revolutionary times. 



no GAMES AND PARTIES 

Then provide cherries of marzipan, or make 
imitation cherries of cotton wool and red 
crepe paper and have some stirring races in 
carrying these around the room on knife 
blades to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." 
Let three children carry cherries at the same 
time, and have the winner in each race match 
the winner in another until but one or two 
players remain unbeaten. Reward the vic- 
tor or victors with a prize — a cocked hat 
filled with candy is an appropriate trifle 
which can be had anywhere and which always 
pleases the little ones. 

For another round a big red cherry with 
leaves can be painted on a muslin-covered 
cushion filled with excelsior which serves as 
a target. Aim is taken by the young marks- 
men with ''an Indian bow and arrows" 
introduced as ''a relic of Washington's time." 
Each child has three shots at the big cherry, 
and a basket of marzipan cherries is pre- 
sented as a reward for greatest skill dis- 
played. 

A little imitatiou cherry tree a few inches 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 111 

high, such as is found in the shops now, will 
form the basis of another target game. Place 
it on the piano, the window sill, or on a table 
and see which boy or girl can overthrow it 
by hitting it with a hatchet made of card- 
board. Each child has three "throws", and 
several of the cardboard hatchets should be 
in readiness for the game. 

Another contest which hinges on the first 
Americans requires no writing, a point which 
will recommend it to many players. All who 
are to play it sit in a ring, and some one be- 
gins by saying, for instance : "I am thinking 
of a man in Washington's time whose name 
begins with B." The name in mind, we will 
say, is Burgoyne. Some will guess Brad- 
dock, etc., others will not be able to think of 
any name beginning with a B. If no one 
can guess the right one, the player who named 
it is called on to say what it was he selected. 
Let each in turn give a name for the others 
to guess, and award a point also to each per- 
son first to correctly guess any riddle pro- 
posed. If you wish to have a prize, it goes. 



112 GAMES AND PARTIES 

of course, to the player who holds most points. 
A silk flag makes an acceptable gift in such a 
game. 

Games played with the eyes shut or with 
the left hand are always fun-provoking, and 
are easy to get up. For instance, players 
at a Washington party may be called on to 
draw a portrait of the great man, with the 
eyes shut or with the left hand; the results 
can hardly fail to be laughable. Or give each 
a square of black cardboard and see who can 
(blindfold) cut out the cleverest silhouette 
of George or Martha Washington. The prize 
might be a Continental knapsack filled with 
sugar plums, and the booby the silhouette 
which won the prize. 

The cobweb game arranged with buff and 
blue threads is a novel feature to introduce 
into your Washington festival ; the threads, of 
which the girls take the blue and the men the 
buff, can lead to all kinds of other games. 
For instance, favors may be presented to the 
man and girl who are first to find the ends of 
their threads, and these prize winners may be 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 113 

partners for the supper if that comes next 
on the programme. 

A DIXIE PARTY 

A capital idea which is being adopted of 
recent seasons for festivities in honor of 
Washington is to emphasize the place of his 
birth in decorations, menu, and other features. 
The affair is then called a Dixie, or a Virginia, 
party. The rooms are trimmed with cotton 
bolls, either real or imitated with raw cotton 
and tissue paper, and with Southern moss, 
etc. If possible, have the guests served by 
Southern ''mammies", also either real or 
improvised for the occasion by means of burnt 
cork. A concert of old-time negro melodies 
is very appropriate for the first half of the 
evening. Then have a plantation dance in 
which the old measures are introduced — the 
Lancers, the Virginia Reel, etc. 

If you like a simple refreshment, one 
which includes sandwiches of Virginia ham, 
chicken salad, beaten biscuit, salted peanuts, 
and Lady Baltimore cake is appropriate. 



114 GAMES AND PARTIES 

A CRANBERRY PARTY 

If cherries for one reason or another, even 
in the candy variety, cannot be had for a 
Washington Party, big red cranberries make 
a good substitute so far as games and dec- 
orations go. 

Have a generous supply of the (mock) 
cherries, and have all the games of the eve- 
ning played with them. A cranberry- thread- 
ing contest is splendid fun, and any one can 
get it up almost without notice, if only the 
cranberries are at hand. 

Spool cotton is broken in as many lengths 
as there will be players; and each piece is 
about a yard and a half long. On one end a 
needle is threaded. A basket of cranberries 
is placed on the table, around which all stand, 
each with a needle and thread. When the 
signal is given, all begin to thread the cran- 
berries on the cotton provided, and the one 
first to cover his or her cotton wins the game. 

When the company consists of an exactly 
equal number of boys and girls, the young 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 115 

folks can be paired off, and each couple can 
have a thread with a needle on each end, 
both working together to thread it. 

Then have a washtub brought on the scene 
and filled with water. Throw a handful of 
cranberries in the water and let each in turn 
try to jab as many as possible with a hatpin. 
Each cranberry captured counts a point 
toward the prize. 

And why not a cranberry race for the third 
inning? This can be arranged by giving 
each player a cranberry and a lead pencil, 
and starting three players at a time in a race 
which consists in rolling the cranberry around 
the room with the pencil. 

All who win their particular races draw 
for a prize, while those who fail may be con- 
demned to bite a cranberry in half with the 
teeth. A little bottle of candied or preserved 
cherries tied with red, white, and blue ribbon 
makes a nice prize in this mock-cherry contest. 

Again hang up a small embroidery hoop 
with a little basket back of it, suspending it 
in such a way that cranberries thrown through 



116 GAMES AND PARTIES 

the hoop will drop into the basket. Draw a 
circle with chalk on the floor or cut a circular 
piece of cardboard, and let each in turn stand 
within the ring while aiming cranberries 
through the hoop. Each has six throws, and 
each cranberry safely lodged in the basket wins 
a point. Those having the greatest number 
of points draw for a prize, or each of the play- 
ers whose score is highest receives a souvenir. 
Cranberry pie, cranberry water ice, and 
red iced cake are good suggestions for re- 
freshments. Some hostesses may like to 
add hot biscuits, filled with minced chicken, 
or cold Maryland biscuit with minced tongue 
and mayonnaise, to the other dainties to 
round out a bill of fare. 

A PARTY FOR THE SEVENTEENTH OF MARCH 

For this occasion one could cut out heavy 
paper in the form of shamrocks and write 
the comic invitation in rhyme. You can use 
the form given below, as it may not be con- 
venient or possible for little entertainers to 
invent one that suits the purpose. 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 117 

The Invitation 

'Tis the very top of the marnin' 
That I'm wishin' ye, me dear. 
And this letther's to remind yez 
Paddy's Day is drawin' near. 

For the sake of good ould Erin 
Can't yez come and cilibrate 
At our house (that's Windsor Terrace) 
Next Thursday night at eight ? 

There'll be pranks and games and jokin' 
And I know we'll make you smile. 
For 'tis fun we'll be a pokin' 
(And a supper after while). 

Sign the effusion with your name, of course, 
unless the address will tell the secret just as 
well, and on the evening of the party decorate 
the rooms with crepe paper in design of sham- 
rocks, little comic figures of Paddy and shille- 
lahs, with any other emblems you can secure. 

In the room to which guests are admitted 
have the following articles arranged on tables, 
the piano top, etc.: 



118 GAMES AND PARTIES 

A little stone (the blarney stone). 

A tiny print of butter (a little pat). 

Something green to be worn, such as a silk 
shamrock (Wearin' o' the Green). 

A box covered with sandpaper to look like 
stone (a shamrock). 

Picture of a hand, also the word *'and" 
clipped from a newspaper headline and two 
letter E's. Hand E and E {Handy Andy, 
the famous book by Samuel Lover). 

Of course, the thing recalled by each ob- 
ject must relate in some joking way to the 
green isle over the sea. There is no prize 
attached to this game, unless you particularly 
want to make it a guessing game, for the 
main idea of it is to keep the guests who 
arrive first amused and interested until all 
are on the scene. 

For a part of the programme it would be 
entertaining to have the story of Paddy The 
Piper read aloud, for it is extremely funny, 
and all children should know it. Then a 
dozen snatches from Irish airs could be played 
on the piano, to see if any one could name 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 119 

the songs they represent. Afterwards the 
guests might sing the songs themselves in 
chorus and dance to the Kvely tune of jigs and 
reels, such as the famous ''Widow McCloud." 

Then play this interesting race game. 
Give each of the girls a silk shamrock, such 
as are sold to commemorate the date, and 
let each boy choose a partner. Range the 
boys with their backs against the wall at 
one end of the room, and the girls in a similar 
position along the opposite wall. Each boy 
must face his partner ; that is, if he is second 
in the line of boys, she will be second in the 
line of girls. When the signal is given, each 
girl tries to be first to pin a shamrock on her 
partner's coat. Those who are successful 
win prizes or favors, and so do their partners. 

Green should be the prevailing color of the 
decorations on the supper table and both food 
and favors should suggest the day. 

AN "EASTER OPENING" PARTY 

A most attractive way to send out the 
invitations for a children's party at this time 



120 GAMES AND PARTIES 

of year is to enclose each note in an eggshell, 
the top of which has been cut off by a quick 
blow from a sharp knife. 

After the shell is duly washed and dried 
and the note written on tissue paper is en- 
closed, the top is pasted again into place 
and the crack will be barely discernible. 

Be sure to mention the words "Easter 
opening" in each note, as this gives the name 
of the party and the key to the games of the 
afternoon. 

Another and rather simpler way to prepare 
the little receptacles is to blow the contents 
from the eggshell and write the words "Eas- 
ter opening", with the date and address, on 
the outside. 

Whichever method is preferred, try to 
obtain pretty little Eastertide boxes (bon- 
honnieres) decorated with designs of chickens, 
ducks, and spring flowers, in which to enclose 
the eggshells and send them through Uncle 
Sam's mails, though any tiny box that is 
secure enough can be neatly wrapped to serve 
the purpose. 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 121 

The entrance to the merrymakings of the 
afternoon lies through a huge eggshell, which 
the children must burst together. To ar- 
range this charming and novel feature, re- 
ceive the little guests in the hall or in some 
other room from that in which the frolics 
have been arranged. In the doorway be- 
tween the two rooms paste a curtain cut 
from soft paper in the form of a gigantic 
eggshell. This is visible from the first if so 
preferred, or a door may hide it from view 
until all the little folks are on the scene. The 
minute that the last arrival is present and in 
readiness with wraps removed, the signal is 
given for breaking the eggshell, through 
which the little company will rush with 
shouts of delight. 

In the room beyond, a search for candy 
or toy chickens of the tiny, downy sort is 
arranged. Wherever a chicken is hidden, 
a tuft of straw betrays the fact, and the chil- 
dren are told to "follow the straws, which 
invariably show which way the winds blow." 
Or any other playful directions which make 



122 GAMES AND PARTIES 

for fun can be given. The search continues 
until each child is in possession of a chicken, 
as one apiece of these toys will have been 
hidden. 

Next bring upon the scene a variation of 
the ever popular Horner pie, which in honor 
of the season represents an Easter egg. From 
the egg hang out white and green or green 
and yellow ribbons, which the little people 
pull, with a "one, two, three and Go!" to 
add to the excitement. The big egg is found 
to be full of peanuts, and herein lies another 
opening, for each boy and girl, acting as 
partners, receives between them a bowl into 
which, after the signal is given, they must 
begin to open the peanuts. When the store 
is all exhausted, the shelled nuts in each 
bowl are counted and each of the two chil- 
dren who opened most is given sugar- 
candy Easter eggs. The consolation prizes 
could be comic little chickens made of extra 
large peanuts, marked with wings and having 
bills and tiny legs added. 

At the feast which follows the games each 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 123 

child can find his place at table by means 
of a toy chick or duck which wears around its 
neck a tag with the name of the child written 
on it. Or chickens of cotton batting made at 
home and issuing from natural eggshells 
broken at one end will cause great delight. 
Write the name of the child on the shell. 

At each cover, too, have a surprise eggshell, 
which may be of papier mdchS, cardboard, or 
silk, just according to what one wants to 
spend, as all kinds, at all prices, are offered 
in the shops at this season. If gifts in these 
shells would make the feature a little too 
expensive, write funny rhymes on cards and 
substitute them. Any surprise, however sim- 
ple, meets with high favor at a childish merry- 
making. 

MEMORIAL DAY 

An occasion that all Northeners feel like 
celebrating in some way is May 30th, or Deco- 
ration Day, which should be marked by special 
features. First of all decorate the house and 
grounds with bunting and flags. 



124 GAMES AND PARTIES 

The prograrame for afternoon or evening 
may well begin with patriotic readings and 
the singing of patriotic songs, and the more 
who know the choruses and will join in them 
the better. 

A flag drill would be pretty, and it is not 
necessary to go to much trouble in getting 
it up, for every one is likely to have at least 
one inexpensive flag to wave on Decoration 
Day. Then if some grown person will play 
splendid march music for the children on the 
piano (or the phonograph will do it), they 
can plan some very pretty evolutions. Let 
one of the older boys or girls lead and 
give the commands until all have learned 
them. 

Quieter games in the form of puzzles could 
be played, and every one who likes puzzles, 
as most of us do now and then, would be sure 
to enjoy one founded on the names of Amer- 
ican soldiers. Here are suggestions for that. 

What great soldier gives in writing ? Grant. 

What soldier is a kind of gathers and a 
male.f^ Sherman (shirr). 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 125 

What soldier had the same name as the 
famous romancer known as "The Wizard of 
the North"? Scott. 

What general is found at the door as you 
go in? Butler. 

What general had a name giving the sound 
of rain followed by his own offspring? Pat- 
terson. 

What patriotic admiral is part of our un- 
derstanding ? Foote. 

What general is a spiritual sovereign ? Pope. 

What general's name scorches a part of the 
body ? Burnside. 

What general is a wine and part of the 
prophet Daniel? Sheridan (sherry-dan). 

What general's name is part of a hand and 
a whole rooster? Hancock. 

What general was a nimrod? Hunter. 

What general has the name of a celebrated 
doubter ? Thomas. 

What admiral would you summon to carry 
your trunk? Porter. 

What general has a name that suggests 
rabbits ? Warren. 



126 GAMES AND PARTIES 

What general's name tells how to catch a 
fish ? Hooker. 

What general's name began with that of a 
flower ? Rosecrans. 

What general's name holds much money? 
Banks. 

What general is a drink made of honey .^ 
Meade. 

A FIRECRACKER PARTY FOR INDEPENDENCE 

DAY 

One way in which to entertain your friends 
on Independence Day is with a Firecracker 
Party, at which all the crackers are of 
the strictly safe and sane variety, which 
wise ordinances now restrict us to and 
which are really more fun than the old noisy 
kind. 

For the invitations take small sticks of 
candy and roll each in red tissue paper, en- 
closing a little string at the top to look like 
the fuse of a firecracker. To each cracker 
tie a tiny card with ribbon and on the card 
write an invitation like this : 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 127 

Dear Friend, 

You know the cracker tribe 

Are rightly now taboo. 

But one that's strictly safe and sane, 

I'm hereby sending you. 

It goes, with wishes best from all. 
Most heartily to say. 
Can't you all attend our party. 
Here, on Independence Day ? 

Tell us if we may not greet you. 
Underneath our spreading tree ? 
On the lawn surrounding "Cedars".^ 
At the hour of half past three ? 

Have under the trees a dainty table spread 
with cool, good things, so that those who 
come may refresh themselves at will. Have 
a bowl of lemonade or punch with a ladle 
and a tray of tiny glasses, or if you expect a 
very large crowd, you might have the dainty 
paper cups. Have two or three good kinds 
of sandwiches, replenished from time to time 
from the house, cake and bonbons, and such 



128 GAMES AND PARTIES 

crisp relishes as radishes, oKves, pickles, and 
so on. 

Arrange a series of good games, for one of 
which secure from your grocer in advance a 
supply of small paper bags, according to the 
number of people that will play. Cover these 
in advance with red tissue paper. Place 
them in a row on the ground, folded flat. 
When the signal is given, let all run to the 
bags, each taking the first one he can get; 
then each tries to blow up his bag and run 
with it exploded to the timekeeper. As soon 
as any player has burst one bag, he may run 
for another, and the one who has reached and 
cracked most when all have gone wins the game. 

Another way is to cover the bags with the 
red paper, blow them out, tie them, and 
then have a game on the rose-war order, in 
which players bat the bombs, as they are 
called, to and fro across a chalk line. Tie 
the bags belonging to one side with red and 
those of the other with green ribbon. 

Have swung from the trees or from the 
lintel of the porch a large firecracker favor 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 129 

holder, — a receptacle of paper in the form 
of a giant cracker, filled with gifts. Pull it 
open with cords chosen to imitate fuses. 

AN UNSENTIMENTAL HALLOWE'EN 

A question that often arises to puzzle 
mother or teacher is how to celebrate Hal- 
lowe'en without having recourse to the sen- 
timental ideas of the Eve of Fate, for which 
the children are too young. It can be done 
and that cleverly by substituting the em- 
blems of nuts, pumpkins, and jack-o'-lanterns 
for those of marriage and fate. Here is a 
clever way to plan the invitations : 

Tuck into the empty shell of an English 
walnut a strip of paper containing the invi- 
tation, after which lightly glue the halves 
together. Tie up the nut in two square 
pieces of tissue paper, green outside and 
yellow inside, by gathering the paper around 
the nut and tying with a narrow red ribbon. 
The green, yellow, and red represent au- 
tumnal coloring. The corners may show the 
lining. 



130 GAMES AND PARTIES 

To make the jack-o'-lanterns which the 
children delight in, cut from pumpkins laugh- 
ing faces, long faces, faces with grins, round 
faces, etc. Let the room be lighted only 
with these pumpkin lanterns, which may 
hang from the ceiling and be placed in every 
nook and corner. For further decoration, 
evergreen boughs woven in and out will be 
found eflFective. 

The fun may be made lively at first by in- 
troducing games, such as threading needles 
with a rolling jug for a seat, bobbing for 
apples in tubs, or trying to bite suspended 
apples with molasses on their cheeks. Next 
provide each child with a goblin or brownie 
mask or a sheet and pillow-case costume. 
Silhouette pictures may also be presented. 
Half the party go behind the sheet and turn, 
one at a time, into pantomime artists, while 
the other half guess who each is. 

For supper simply spread a cloth upon the 
table and let all sit around it at ease, choosing 
their own seats. Then give each a yellow 
pumpkin which has been hollowed out, lined 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 131 

with Japanese napkins, and filled with viands 
that all children like. Dainty sandwiches, 
salad in tiny gourds, popcorn balls, ginger- 
bread made into animal forms, and nuts 
may all be found. On the very top place 
what appears to be a rosy apple, but what 
proves a bonbon box filled with delicious 
nut candy. 

Of course, you will give the children little 
remembrances of the occasion, for nothing 
pleases them more than this delightful con- 
clusion to a delightful occasion. 

Souvenirs will be the one remaining touch 
to make the children perfectly happy. Con- 
struct a huge pasteboard pumpkin and cover 
with yellow paper. Into this put the gifts 
and attach to each of them a long yellow rib- 
bon which hangs over the sides. Just be- 
fore the boys and girls go home, bring in the 
pumpkin and let them pull out all sorts of 
appropriate knickknacks, such as black cats, 
witch dolls, four-leaved clovers, tiny brooms, 
rabbit's feet, etc. If you wish the souvenirs 
may be " fortunes." 



132 GAMES AND PARTIES 

OTHER PASTIMES FOR HALLOWE'EN 

1 

Into a tub of water throw a quantity of 
soup paste letters. Let each child close his 
or her eyes and dip out a teacupfuL From 
the letters in the cup see what word can be 
formed that will indicate one's fate for the 
coming year. One telltale word may stand for 
an entire sentence. Thus the word "Gain," 
if found there, might mean either gain a 
heart, gain in wealth, or other gain. 

Another way is to blindfold each child and 
allow him three dips in which to find his own 
initial. 

Using a darning needle, draw a long thread 
through a cooky cut preferably in the shape 
of a witch, cat, or a crescent, or in any other 
form which seems appropriate to the date. 
Draw the ends out to full length; let two 
boys take opposite ends of the string and see 
who can soonest mouth all of the thread 
which lies between him and the cooky. This 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 133 

game is also played with a raisin on the string. 
Needless to say the one who arrives first gets 
the goody ; and also a prize, if one is given. 

3 

A good Hallowe'en joke to play is this. 
Arrange books, sofa pillows, and such things 
with elaborate care around the room. Blind- 
fold some one and tell him to put something 
on the table across the room, but that if he 
knocks over any of the obstacles, he must 
pay a forfeit. Then, before he begins his 
progress, quickly lift everything out of his 
path and watch him carefully edge his way 
around each supposed danger, which is by 
this time empty air. 

4 
Have some apples afloat on a tub of water 
and see who can lift out the most by catching 
them with his teeth. The person bobbing 
for apples must kneel and clasp his hands 
behind his back. The apples can have words, 
such as Luck, Fame, Riches, etc., cut on the 
skin, and these words may apply to the chil- 



134 GAMES AND PARTIES 

dren catching the fruit. Initials can be 
scratched on the apples too. 

5 

Arrange three plates in a row. On one 
put a piece of candy, on another a lemon, and 
on the third something else as a joke, such as 
a horse-chestnut or a piece of coal. Blindfold 
each child and let him stand in front of the 
plates. If he can touch the plate with the 
candy, the sweetmeat belongs to him. Other- 
wise he must choose between the lemon and 
the coal. Or if it is preferred to have some- 
thing nice on each plate, have one hold a 
piece of candy, one an apple, and one only 
a nut. Of course, the plates must be shuffled 
about after the bandage is put on, or the 
child may be w^alked around the room with 
the bandage on in an effort to confuse him as 
to the relative position of the plates. 

6 
Have a big spook come in (a tall person in 
a sheet or some one with a broom carried 
aloft), the mask, etc., being on the broom. 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 135 

The spook can distribute fortunes in enve- 
lopes. Or he may "feel the bumps" of each 
applicant's head and read funny fortunes 
therefrom. 

7 

Give each child a basket of nuts of differ- 
ent sorts. Seat all around the table. See 
who can soonest empty his basket, picking 
up each nut with both hands and arranging 
each kind in a separate pile on the table. 
Of course, mixed grains or corn and beans 
could be used instead of the nuts, but the 
latter are specially appropriate to Hallowe'en 
and can be eaten with the refreshments 
later on. 

A TURKEY SOCIAL, 

A jolly plan for a frolic on Thanksgiving 
Eve, or for an occasion which falls within the 
season of our great American harvest, is a 
turkey party. Begin the fun with a turkey 
search, which can be very easily arranged and 
requires no preparation but a simple prize, 
for which one of the pasteboard gobblers 
filled with candy which all the shops have in 



136 GAMES AND PARTIES 

stock at this time of year will be just the 
thing. 

Cut a quantity of pasteboard into small 
tickets or slips, or use ordinary wrapping or 
pad paper in the same way. On each slip 
write one of the letters which go to make up 
the word ''turkey", so that there are several 
sets of the complete word. Fold the slips 
and mix them up, and after seating all the 
players around a table, play the game after 
the rules of Authors, the end and aim of each 
player being to complete the word ''turkey" 
as often as possible. To begin the game, 
deal an equal number of slips to each person, 
and the same to the pool. If any player with 
the slips dealt to him can complete the word 
"turkey", he is privileged to place the letters 
involved on the table in front of him. Each 
set completing the word counts a point toward 
the game. When all have matched and 
discarded the used letters, each, in turn, be- 
ginning with the player at the left of the 
dealer, draws from the pool and matches in 
turn. When the pool is exhausted, the players 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 137 

have the privilege of asking each other for 
the letters they desire, each asking in turn 
and for but one letter at a time. If the person 
who is asked for a certain letter is found with 
it in his hand, he is required by the rules of 
the game to give it up, even though necessary 
for a word he is building at the time. The 
game ends when all the players are out of 
slips, and is won by the person who oftenest 
completes the term ''turkey." 

The same game can be played with tickets 
or paper slips by hiding the slips around the 
room and letting the players search for them. 
In this game the rule is that each slip must be 
sought in the sequence in which it comes in 
the word ; thus, U only after T has been 
captured, and so on, as this adds to the ex- 
citement of the turkey chase. The person 
winning most words receives the prize, as 
before. 

In the case of young children for whom 
the spelling test would be too difficult, cut a 
number of turkeys out of white or manila 
paper and hide these to be searched for in- 



138 GAMES AND PARTIES 

stead of the letters. The party giver who is 
not able to design these shapes herself may 
easily find a pattern for her turkeys by 
scanning the advertisements in papers and 
other periodicals at turkey time. 

Refreshments for a turkey party should 
have the flavor of the Thanksgiving delicacy 
in one course at least. 

A CHRISTMAS TREE PARTY 

After the family gifts and treasures are 
removed from the Christmas tree, the boys 
and girls may give a very jolly party by re- 
decorating the evergreen as a hobby tree or 
joke tree and inviting their friends to gather 
around it and share the jokes. 

The idea is to prepare a package for each 
guest and to have in it either a very simple 
gift, a joke, or something which suggests a 
hobby. Such a plan certainly causes a lot 
of merriment. 

On the outside of the bundle you must have 
the name of the person for whom it is in- 
tended and a verse or quotation. 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 139 

For example, for a little girl you might have 
a cooky doll and the verse : 

*'Take her up tenderly, 
Lift her with care. 
Fashioned so slenderly. 
Young, and so fair." 

If a boy or girl has a pet cat, the present 
might be some dried catnip picked in summer. 
I know of such a joke package prepared one 
Christmas for a cat called Tom Peter. The 
rhyme was : 

Tom Peter is a gay old cat. 

He once was thin but now is fat. 

His mistress brought him from the East 

And now he nothing does but feast. 

So here's some catnip for Tom Peter 

That his life may still be sweeter. 

For a person fond of poetry, cut some good 
verses from the magazines, put them in an 
envelope, and write on the outside of the 
bundle : 



140 GAMES AND PARTIES 

Since poetry is to your mind, 
I send you the best that I can find. 
With my compKments please take it, 
I chpped it 'cause I couldn't make it. 

With a snapshot the rhyme might be : 

This was boldly *' snapped" of you. 
'Twas a nervy thing to do. 
If returned where it belongs. 
Don't I blot out all your wrongs ? 

Of course these are but examples to show 
how funny, foolish little rhymes can be writ- 
ten about almost any commonplace thing 
and used for the tree. To name the gifts 
that could be used would be impossible 
without knowing the boys and girls for whom 
they are intended, but there will be no need 
of anything but an illustration, for in every 
group some boy or girl can be found to write 
the rhymes and some one to select an ap- 
propriate gift. 

After distributing and enjoying the jokes, 
play some of the games described elsewhere 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 141 

in the book for Christmas and then serve 
refreshments. 

The invitation to a Christmas Party might 
be written as follows : 

While high hangs the holly 
With its red berry. 
Pray come and be merry 
And jolly with me. 
The real Christmas spirit. 
Do let us all share it 
With games and good wishes 
Around the green tree. 
Christmas Social. 4 Downs Street, 

December, at 8.30 p.m- 

A ST. NICHOLAS PARTY 
To those who seem to have worn out all 
Christmastide inspiration long ago, the idea 
of a Dutch Christmas Party, embodying 
some pretty European customs connected 
with the feast of St. Nicholas, may come as 
an inspiration. 

Decorate the rooms with cr^pe paper in 
Dutch design or with the pretty windmills 



142 GAMES AND PARTIES 

and other figures cut from the paper and 
stiflFened with cardboard. Raw-cotton snow, 
silver bells, and silver tinsel would make a 
charming setting for the event. The scenery- 
will interest and amuse the children until 
all have arrived. 

When all are present, some grown person, 
having gathered the children around her, 
seated on the floor, relates in brief the legend 
of St. Nicholas, explaining how once a year 
in Belgium, Holland, and other parts of 
Europe the children set out their wooden 
shoes on the eve of his feast and find them 
in the morning filled with gifts. Before they 
rise from the floor, let the children carry out 
the custom of the little foreign children by 
shouting for St. Nicholas to come and visit 
them. All the children shout simultaneously, 
'*Come, Santa Claus!" 

Before the children arrive, hide whatever 
gifts you plan to give the little folks around 
the room. Puzzles are cheap and good sugges- 
tions, and likewise the Japanese balloon balls 
which can be obtained at an Oriental store. 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 143 

Now count out the children, and as each 
child is counted out, let him leave the room, 
returning to hunt for a gift. When he has 
discovered the treasure, another child is 
counted out. If it is thought more exciting, 
hide but one gift at a time and let the chil- 
dren who are in the room try to find a difficult 
place for it while the child for whom it is 
intended is outside. 

The same party can be given with a little 
change in the programme by those who want 
Santa Claus to figure in person. When this 
is preferred, omit the gifts and let a Santa 
Claus come in, ringing a bell and carrying a 
large pack on his shoulder. As each gift is 
delivered, the saint, foreign fashion, gives a 
few words of good advice, couched in terms 
to make the children laugh, but practical 
nevertheless. 

When all have received their gifts, which 
should fill in at least half an hour of the 
programme, comes the climax of gift-giving. 
It is explained, when the children have been 
recalled to the room from which they are 



144 GAMES AND PARTIES 

sent in a body, that St. Nicholas has mean- 
while descended and in some spot of the room 
has left a Little Dutch Doll. They are asked 
to stand in the spot where each thinks the 
doll was left by the saint, and when the little 
ones have scampered into various nooks and 
corners, a doll dressed in full national Dutch 
costume is brought out and presented to the 
lucky guesser. Where the children are very 
little tots, it would be better to hide the doll 
in some nook and have the children search for 
it. Where the doll itself is not hidden, a piece 
of paper represents the spot chosen for it. 

The next half hour will pass delightfully 
with the puzzles and the Japanese balloon 
balls which inflate themselves by being thrown 
in the air. A group of little folks playing 
ball with these brightly colored toys is a 
pretty sight, and they never fail to fascinate 
the child-guests. 

Have the table trimmed with Dutch favors 
and other trifles. Have a wooden shoe filled 
with candies or popcorn balls for the center- 
piece, and for place cards use little Dutch 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 145 

calendars and write the name of the child 
who is to occupy that particular seat on each. 
Have snapper-caps and bonbons with Delft 
figures on them. 

If ice cream is served, have it moulded in 
the shape of little Dutch maidens, or placed 
in paper cases made from Delft paper nap- 
kins. Or if ice cream would make the repast 
overexpensive, make little baskets with crimpy 
edges from orange-skins, tie the handles with 
ribbon, and fill with gelatin and whipped 
cream or with sponge cake and flavored 
whipped cream. 

MERRYMAKING FOR THE TODDLERS AT 
CHRISTMAS 

When very young children are entertained, 
the party is necessarily a mothers' party also, 
as the mothers will be obliged to accompany 
the wee guests, so that something must be 
provided for their enjoyment also. 

To begin with the little ones, when they 
first arrive, try to have some music, for they 
all love that and will delight in playing ring- 



146 GAMES AND PARTIES 

around-a-rosy, or other musical games, and 
in marching several times around the room 
if led by an older person. An older child or 
two can often direct the pastimes for the very 
little guests, and this will allow the mothers 
to relax and enjoy themselves together. 

Whoever becomes stage manager should 
group the tots in two rows facing each other 
and let them roll pretty red balls of paper 
back and forth. Afterwards each is allowed 
to take a ball for his own and open it and to 
keep the paper favor it contains. If a paper 
hat or other such trifle is found in the sur- 
prise balls, great will be the glee of each small 
recipient. 

Of course, there should be a round of soap 
bubbles, and perhaps the mothers themselves 
would like to unbend their dignity and com- 
pete in a tournament, using clay pipes dec- 
orated with red and green or holly-figured 
ribbon. 

After this it will be time to conduct all into 
the gaily trimmed dining room, where just 
above the dining table hangs a big favor 



HOW TO CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS 147 

holder in the form of a snowball. From 
the snowball draw out a scarlet ribbon to 
each cover and under the ball have a brilliant 
Christmas tree gay with tinsel and with a 
gift for each child. Paper napkins with 
poinsettia design would be decorative, and 
each candlestick (holding a scarlet or green 
candle) should be banked around with holly, 
while more of the same beautiful green sur- 
rounds candy dishes, etc. 

Before leaving the table, let each child pull 
one of the red ribbons attached to the snowball 
and thus bring down a pretty shower of white 
paper snowballs. These balls do not open, 
but the wee ones can carry them into the 
parlor and there have a pleasant snowball 
battle or a frolic, rolling the balls about at 
will. It is a simple game, but one which the 
younger ones take to. 

Bring the afternoon to a close with a Story 
Circle. All the children sit in a ring on the 
carpet while some grown-up person or older 
child entertains them with stories, preferably 
of Christmastide. 



CHAPTER V 
PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 

A FAIRYLAND GARDEN PARTY 

Birthdays which occur in warm weather 
can be celebrated out of doors. 

A Garden Party affords the little host or 
hostess a pretty way of offering gifts in re- 
turn for those brought by playmates in honor 
of the occasion. 

For this entertainment the lawn and porch 
are converted into a wonder garden, — not the 
queer, amusing wonderland of the Alice books, 
but a real one, where fairies perform all 
manner of kindly offices and hide away treas- 
ures in all sorts of unexpected places. 

The invitations might be a bit unusual, read- 
ing something like this : 

"You are cordially invited to visit Wonder- 
land, which will be thrown open June 15th by 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 149 

the fairies in honor of the birthday of Esther 
Singleton, which occurs on that date. En- 
trance through Elmhurst grounds. Gates 
open at half-past two in the afternoon." 

Of course, Fairyland is made delightful 
with flowers and lanterns. These last should 
be all of one color, say pink or pale yellow, 
and should not be lighted — at least until 
late in the afternoon. The usual refresh- 
ments are found here and there, with placards 
above them bearing amusing names. 

Lemonade, for instance, is termed fairy 
nectar, and sweet biscuits are crystallized 
iHoonbeams. 

One lively and exciting feature of the fun 
is a search for the Summer Christmas tree, 
a beautiful growth which is found only in 
Fairyland. The party of little people, con- 
ducted by the host or hostess, sets out 
in search of this tree as soon as all the guests 
have arrived. 

It proves to be a bush growing on the lawn 
and covered with all sorts of delicious things. 



150 GAMES AND PARTIES 

There are popcorn balls, candied fruit, hard 
chocolate figures, and cocoanut balls. When 
found, the children join hands and dance about 
it, after which the party giver clips the sweets 
from its boughs with a pair of scissors and 
presents one to each of the guests. 

Another exciting half hour is spent in a 
search for fairy gold, which, according to a 
sign in colored lettering, is to be found in 
the grass under a certain large tree. 

Each boy or girl is allowed by the fairies 
to hunt until one piece of gold is secured, 
after which he or she must cease to search. 

The fairy gold turns out to be a quantity 
of little gifts, such as one obtains from the 
ordinary grab bag or Jack Horner pie. Each 
is wrapped in a separate piece of gilt paper 
and hidden away by itself in the grass. Such 
fun as it is to look them out ! 

For a quiet, sit-down game "to cool off", 
distribute little pieces of paper and pencils, 
asking each child to draw one of the fairies 
which inhabit Fairyland, whether elf, pixie, 
gnome, or goblin. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 151 

At the end of five minutes the pictures are 
collected, and one of the brownie dolls, which 
come both in paper and cloth, is given for the 
cleverest drawing. 

The refreshment table for a wonderland 
party can be made quite fairylike and at- 
tractive. Even if a cloth is used, wee doylies 
in gold and silver paper, cut to represent 
lace, can be found to go under plates and 
dishes. 

Candies can be wrapped in gilt and silver 
paper. 

Most girls and boys would enjoy receiving 
a personal message from some fairy, and 
these messages can be made to fall out of 
napkins when the latter are unfolded. 

If there is plenty of time on hand, make 
them in the following way : Cut from card- 
board a number of leaf shapes and color one 
side of these green, leaving the other side 
white for the message. 

The fairy greetings are always short and 
are usually in rhyme. ''Good luck to you 
from Puck" is one example. 



152 GAMES AND PARTIES 

If you lack leisure for the leaf shape, write 
the messages on pieces of paper. 

There can be all sorts of other wonderful 
surprises, too. Candies are now sold which 
contain little gifts or mottoes, and there are 
nuts which prove not to be nuts, but candy. 

A NOVEL RAINBOW PARTY 

A prism party founded on the colors is a 
particularly pretty one for out of doors, where 
the space will afford a great opportunity for 
rainbow effects to be carried out with ribbon, 
flowers, Chinese lanterns, and tissue paper 
bunting. 

For little folks, the ever-popular spider 
game might be introduced with a new 
twist. Fill a number of little pots with 
gilt-covered bonbons to represent the tradi- 
tional pot of gold which lies at the end of 
a rainbow. 

From each of these stretch a length of 
ordinary spool cotton, winding it in and out 
of bushes and other obstacles as you would 
around the chairs and tables of the parlor 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 153 

for an indoor rainbow game. Have each 
spool a different color. 

The thin cotton makes a much more in- 
teresting game than the usual tape or ribbon, 
as it breaks more easily, after which one is 
obliged to search for the lost end. Strands 
of colored tissue paper can be used instead 
of the cotton. 

This frolic could be followed up by a prize 
game played with colors. It is a sit-down 
game and therefore a good one to come after 
so strenuous a feature as following a rainbow. 
Here the children are seated in a wide ring 
on the grass and some older person, called the 
Announcer, names a color — we will say yel- 
low. 

Beginning with the child to the left of the 
Announcer, each person must name in turn 
some object which is naturally yellow, or 
something within sight which is of that hue. 

Any child who fails to name a yellow ob- 
ject is banished from the circle. For the 
next round red or blue or green is taken, 
and the game is played in the same way, all 



154 GAMES AND PARTIES 

who fail being banished as before. This 
continues until all the colors, including white 
and black (which are considered colors for 
present uses), are exhausted. 

The youngster remaining longest in the 
former circle is prize winner. Choose as a 
reward some pretty trifle in one of the colors 
named, or a book which has a color in its title. 
''Little Red Riding Hood" or "Blue Beard" 
are such books. 

A paper hunt is good fun and can be used 
as a substitute for the rainbow game. For 
this a number of little gifts are hidden about 
the garden, one gift in each color. 

From each gift is sprinkled a trail of colored 
paper torn into small scraps, leading almost to 
the starting point. The course is a very wind- 
ing one, and there are plenty of breaks. 

To play the game a bag containing pieces 
of colored paper is passed, and each child 
draws one. The color drawn is that of the 
trail one must seek. Or partners can hunt 
together, each two who draw the same color 
pairing off accordingly. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 155 

Another suggestion would be a target 
arranged to represent a rainbow, with stripes 
or color, or a large fan decorated with rays 
in the different tints. Each color in the rain- 
bow could count a certain number of points 
for the player hitting it. The fun is carried 
on with "darts" sold for similar games. 
Each dart hitting the white could count one, 
two blue, three red, and so on. The boy or 
girl winning most points receives a nice color 
box as a prize. 

For a very laughable game, give the children 
small white cards and have on hand a box of 
colored chalks. Each child is blindfolded 
in turn and told to draw a picture on the 
card with the colored chalks. The time 
allowed for drawing the picture is three 
minutes. 

The results are sure to be extremely amus- 
ing to everybody, including the artist him- 
self. Each production is labeled with the 
name of its designer for future reference. A 
book, with illustrations in color, can reward 
the most successful competitor. 



156 GAMES AND PARTIES 

A SPOOK PARTY 

Children of all ages dearly love ''dressing 
up", and where this costuming is limited to 
robes evoked from an old sheet no child need 
decline the invitation for lack of a suitable 
dress. A ghostly spook party is the result. 
All the spooks wear white cotton masks cut 
from the same material as the costume. 

When the spooks begin to arrive, the fes- 
tive rooms should be in semi-darkness. 
Guests are welcomed by smiles, deep bows, 
and handshakes, but no words are spoken 
during the first half hour. 

When all are on the scene, music is played 
softly on the piano, and the lancers, with 
grand chain, or the Virginia reel, is danced 
by all the little ghosts. 

After this it will be time to remove masks. 
Lights are suddenly turned up, disguises pulled 
off, and with shouts of laughter a general 
recognition takes place. 

Arrange a series of good games to keep the 
fun in circulation as soon as the excitement of 
unmasking has died down. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 157 

INDOOR TRACK MEET 

When lively young people are to be enter- 
tained indoors, arrange for them a burlesque 
athletic meet, and you will win their hearts 
without effort and without fail. 

A captain can be appointed for each college 
that is supposed to be represented. Decorate 
the room or hall with pennants either collected 
from friends or made from crepe paper. Have 
the guests of each separate college assemble, 
in different corners in the room. 

Each college should supply a certain num- 
ber of arm pennants and a certain proportion 
of the cards on which college yells are written. 
The arm bands can be made of felt, or wool, 
or of crepe paper. 

All kinds of events can be planned. Some 
good ones that have been found popular in 
the past are : 

Foot Race. Hop on right or left foot as 
arranged. Or girls hopping on right can 
match boys hopping on left. 

Shot Put. Have a milk bottle and a hand- 
ful of shot, or beans or barley will do instead 



158 GAMES AND PARTIES 

of the shot. The players run around the room 
at full speed and drop the shot in the bottle, 
— or try to do so rather, — as they go past. 

Hammer Throw. Place a cardboard base 
at the opposite end of the room from where 
the players stand and let each try in turn to 
throw the mallet on the base. Or if throwing 
a hammer or mallet would endanger the fur- 
niture, use one of the cardboard hatchets 
sold by the favor shops. 

Discus. Roll pie plates at a mark or twirl 
them into a chalked circle. 

Relay Race. Unwind balls of twine on to 
sticks or have a real relay race with clothes- 
pins. 

This is one way to arrange the events after 
you have assembled the competitors. Some 
one has a gong preferably, though a bell 
will do, or even a tin pan whacked with a 
stick. 

When the gong sounds, each captain sends 
a delegate from his college to enter the lists. 
The one who is successful wins a pennant for 
his college. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 159 

Then the gong announces a second event, 
and again each captain sends his picked man. 
Again, too, a pennant is won. This con- 
tinues until all the events have taken place. 

Members of the winning college then re- 
ceive prizes. Pasteboard medals covered with 
gilt paper reward the ones who cut the worst 
figure. 

A BOX SOCIAL 

Cunning invitations add much to a party, 
and if the children can enlist the services of 
some one who draws, or have learned to 
do it themselves at school, the originality of 
this party might begin with the cards sent 
out. Make them of thin cardboard or heavy 
paper, on which draw an outline of a square 
box with lid thrown back but so designed that 
it may be bent over as if closed down on the 
box. Under the lid write the invitations as 
follows : 

Dear Cousin Ned, 

I send you my love in a box and invite 
you heartily to a box social at my home on 



160 GAMES AND PARTIES 

October 6 at eight o'clock in the evening. 

R.S.V.P. for I shall anxiously await a word 

that you can come. 

Affectionately, 

Lucy. 

As guests enter the room, let them find two 
boxes on two stands on opposite sides of the 
doorway. One box contains colored straws 
for the girls, the other those for the boys, and 
when all have matched up, those holding mates 
are partners for supper. For at this party 
supper comes first, and it is served in boxes. 
These are hidden all around the lower floor 
if possible, or even in the porch or garden, 
according to convenience. Partners take 
hands or take ends of a clothespin, and to- 
gether they go in search of a box. The first 
one found by either partner belongs to that 
couple, but neither must let go of the 
clothespin while they search, as this adds to 
the fun. 

Spread a cloth on the floor or let all sit 
around a circular table, so that there may be 
no unsociaJ)ility, and let each contribute 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 161 

the goodies found in his box to the general 
feast. 

After supper has started the fun, play some 
games founded on boxes. In one an ordinary 
candy box is placed on end on a table, or at 
the opposite end of the room from where the 
players stand. The object is to overthrow 
it with a soft rubber ball provided for the 
purpose. Any one who accomplishes this 
feat in three attempts wins a small candy 
box well filled. 

Then place a small box in the center of the 
room, blindfold each player in turn, and send 
him to jump over the box. Of course the 
greater number will go nowhere near it. If 
there is a joker in the party who has victimized 
you by his tricks, take away the box when 
you have blindfolded this player and see 
him jump wildly over empty air. 

Then get a rather tall box and make a 
small hole in the cover. Each one is given 
a small handful of large stone beads, and told 
to run swiftly around the room. The box is 
placed in his path, and he aims to drop a 



162 GAMES AND PARTIES 

bead in the box each time as he passes it at 
top speed. The girl who drops in the most 
beads could be rewarded with a sewing box, 
while a boy who leads should win a writing box. 
The little pasteboard boxes filled with 
chocolate animals would make nice souvenirs 
for this box social. 

A FAMILY REUNION 

A new and jolly pastime that combines 
two features which boys and girls find specially 
enjoyable, namely dressing up and acting 
parts, is a reunion of the Dotty Family. You 
may christen the family as you please — the 
Batty s, the Tackeys or any other name which 
is thought funnier. There are several good 
choices in the way of nomenclature, but the 
programme is about the same for all. 

Invitations are issued in the names of Mr. 
and Mrs. Frank Lee Dotty, and each person 
invited is asked to come representing a 
member of the family, which part he or she 
is to play throughout the evening. Here is 
a good form for the invitations : 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 163 

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lee Dotty will be 

At Home 
on the evening of February 6 to All Members 
of the Dotty Family at 45 Somerset street, 

at 8 P.M. 

Below this invitation add a line which shows 
the prospective guest what character he or 
she will be required to assume for the eve- 
ning in the event of acceptance. 

For instance, a lively young collegian might 
receive a hint like the following : *'If you can 
come, please impersonate the Dottys' young- 
est son, just home from college, Mr. Charle- 
magne Dotty, aged 22." 

Or a girl who is full of fun might be asked 
to impersonate "Aunt Martha Dotty, the 
great-aunt of Mrs. Dotty, aged 50, who hails 
from Maine." 

Each character assigned should be definite 
enough to give the person invited something 
to work on in the way of costume and con- 
duct, after which the impersonators may 
safely be left to produce the entertainment. 



164 GAMES AND PARTIES 

The host and hostess (often brother and 
sister) should receive in state side by side. 
Arrange some funny kind of canopy or decora- 
tion overhead under which they take their 
positions to welcome the arriving guests. 

A disused umbrella may be opened, the 
stick sawed off below and the top gaudily 
trimmed with tissue paper in glaringly con- 
trasted colors. This furnishes a canopy and 
a point from which streamers of tissue paper 
in the same gaudy colors are swung to all 
points of the parlor. 

''Mrs. Dotty" can borrow one of her 
mother's long gowns for the occasion, and 
''Mr. Dotty" can be aged by means of a 
false mustache or whiskers. The receiving 
couple should be extremely serious and dig- 
nified, though cordial. 

Some of the boys and girls will, of course, 
dress as children in short frocks, or knicker- 
bocker suits, the girls wearing their hair in 
pigtails, and so on. There might be a Grand- 
father and Grandmother Dotty with wigs of 
cotton batting, big spectacles (without glass) 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 165 

and high, cracked voices, who are seated at 
one side of the room and to whom all the 
younger members pay extreme deference. 

A funny character would be the mischievous 
boy who will indulge in pranks, and another 
the spoiled infant whose progress around the 
room is followed by a fussy nurse. 

The fun may be increased by offering prizes 
for the best costume and the most humorous 
acting. Then, too, Mr. and Mrs. Dotty 
might present each guest with a souvenir in 
the form of a picture of themselves (in cos- 
tume) taken in advance by an amateur camera 
and mounted on a photograph card. Have 
the inscription in keeping with the occasion. 
Thus: 

To dear Aunt Martha, on the occasion of 
the Dotty Family Reunion, February 4, 1914. 

A SIMPLE PARTY IN JAPANESE STYLE 

The party in Japanese style can be simple 
or elaborate, according to whether you want 
to cling closely to the customs of Cherry 



166 GAMES AND PARTIES 

Blossom Land or simply provide a pretty 
entertainment with a Japanese flavor. Here 
is a plan for an affair of the kind last named, 
involving little outlay. Write the invita- 
tions down the left-hand margin of scarlet 
paper or of cards, if you cannot obtain the 
paper. Write one word or phrase below 
another, using a brush and sepia or India 
ink. You could use an Eastern form of 
salutation as below : 

Japanese Tea. 

Greenlawn Lodge. 

September 30. 

Four till Seven. 

The gracious pleasure. 

Of your honorable presence. 

Is requested. 

With a thousand salutations. 

Have the refreshments passed on lacquered 
trays, the little guests sitting Oriental fashion 
on the ground. Serve water ice in glasses, 
each glass having a flower stuck in it or a 
twig of edible candy cherries or berries. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 167 

With regard to the games, if you can secure 
a simple Japanese print, representing a bird, 
fish, or something of that kind, pass around 
cards with pencils attached, and see which 
child can make the best copy. Give the print 
as a prize. 

Have a fan race, where empty egg-shells 
are blown over a certain course with fans. 
Give a Japanese cup and saucer as prize, if you 
wish to provide this incentive to endeavor. 

Have a bowl of water on the table, and let 
everybody guess how many marbles or nails 
you can drop in without making the water 
overflow. The best guesser might be given 
a prize. 

Start the game of tiddlewinks and let all 
play with their left hands. This is most 
amusing and exciting. For another game, 
stretch a piece of ribbon or tape across the 
room, range half the company on one side, the 
remainder on the other. Throw a little light 
feather (from a feather pillow) in the air and 
let each side try to blow it into the rank of the 
opponents. Every time the feather falls to 



168 GAMES AND PARTIES 

the ground, a point is lost to the side in whose 
territory it fell. Begin the game with ten 
points to each division, and let the one having 
most points at the end of the game draw for 
the prize, if one is given. To reduce the 
number of prizes, if desired, award a ticket 
to the winner in each contest and let the per- 
son holding most tickets at the end of the 
game receive a prize. 

A DOLL'S "AT HOME" 

Among the many novelties offered in cards 
of invitation and acceptance for children's 
parties is one which suggests a form of merry- 
making very popular with wee girls of from 
five to ten. 

In a pretty box come from one to two dozen 
decorated cards especially designed for a 
doll's at home. The designs in color show 
little maidens fashionably dressed in the act 
of enjoying a social cup of tea, or Kate Green- 
away and Mother Goose figures daintily 
grouped, with verses bearing on the festivity 
in question. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 169 

The wording of the cards, in which blanks 
are left to be filled in with the names of the 
hosts and guests, runs like this : 

(Mabel) presents her compliments to 
(Eleanor) and hopes for the pleasure of her 
company to-morrow afternoon at 4 o'clock. 
Also for the pleasure of Eleanor's doll to call 
upon her doll. 

The function suggested by the cards is at 
once simple and delightful. Mothers who 
are puzzling over a novel and yet inexpensive 
way to celebrate their little daughters' birth- 
days could not adopt a better plan. 

The small hostess stands by the door 
(holding her favorite doll in holiday attire) 
to receive her guests. At the rear of the room 
is spread a low table with apparatus for 
making tea, and having upon it bread and 
jam sandwiches, fancy cakes and candy. 
From this table each small guest is refreshed 
as she arrives. Another table furnished 
with doll house china is provided for the 
dolls. 



170 GAMES AND PARTIES 

The hours from 4 till 7 will pass delightfully 
in discussing the dolls, their wardrobes, etc., 
and in sipping a weak edition of the beverage, 
which should be modishly served. 

Souvenirs, while not necessary, make a 
pretty conclusion to the festive occasion. 
They should be in the form of all sorts and 
conditions of dolls not exceeding twenty-five 
cents in price. The number should include 
Jap dolls, pickaninny dolls, sailor-boy dolls, 
and others out of the common run. 

They are wrapped in tissue paper and placed 
in a grab bag from which the children take 
at random. Or they can be embedded in a 
big sawdust pie from which each youngster 
is invited to take a spoonful. 

A PEANUT FROLIC 

The party based on peanuts and their 
possibilities is not new, but for certain times 
and conditions it is hard to improve upon. 

The only necessaries are two or three 
quarts of peanuts and refreshments. Prizes 
may be oflFered if you care to do so, but they 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 171 

are not imperative, as children enjoy the 
games without incentives of this kind. 

For one thing, plan a peanut search with 
the nuts wrapped up in squares of tissue 
paper of red, white, and blue or any colors 
which are at hand. Provide little boxes or 
baskets for gathering up those found. The 
search begins at a signal, and the object, of 
course, is to see who can collect most nuts 
in the shortest time. 

Fill a bowl with nuts and see who can take 
the biggest handful. / 

Have each child heap up the bowl of a 
wooden spoon with peanuts and run around 
the room with it, to see who spills fewest or 
who brings to the goal the biggest spoonful. 

For the fourth game, place a hat, bowl, or 
basket at one end of the room, give each child 
five nuts, and see who can throw most into 
the receptacle. 

Provide pins, match sticks, and water colors 
and have a competition around some big table, 
where every one tries to make the most amus- 
ing animal, bird, or fish from a peanut. 



172 GAMES AND PARTIES 

For another round, tie up a quart of pea- 
nuts in tissue paper, and with ribbon sus- 
pend the ball thus formed from a nail in the 
ceiling. Have it come a little above the heads 
of the children. When the time comes for 
the scramble, break the paper with an um- 
brella or walking stick. The fun consists 
in trying to pick up the greatest number of 
nuts that come tumbling down. 

If you give prizes, these might be boxes 
of peanut brittle or homemade peanut candy. 

THE SOCIAL DAY OF YOUR SEWING CLUB 

Little girls who belong to a sewing club 
should vary the business of the association 
by occasionally having a social meeting de- 
voted just to fun. Or after stitching an hour 
or two, have a social hour and vary the work 
in that way. 

First have sewing races to see who can hem 
most quickly and most neatly. 

If the girls do fancy work too, see who can 
crochet and knit fastest without dropping a 
stitch. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 173 

See who can sew on most buttons or 
make most buttonholes in half an hour. It 
would be nice to award a prize for the best 
result. 

Give each a simple design stretched on an 
embroidery hoop and let all compete in work- 
ing it in outline. 

Hang up an embroidery hoop and back of 
it place a basket. Give each player three 
soft rubber balls which are to be thrown 
through the hoop and into the basket. Any 
one who succeeds in landing the balls in the 
basket is eligible for the prize. 

These games and contests will afford the 
girls a really delightful afternoon, and if 
simple prizes are given in each round, so much 
the merrier! Then refreshments might be 
served to conclude the good time. 

AN AUTUMN PARTY 

For a party given at any time during the 
fall months, autumn leaves may be used to 
make pretty invitation cards. The natural 
leaves may be waxed, pasted on stiff board. 



174 GAMES AND PARTIES 

and then cut out, and the invitation written 
in brief form, of which this is an illustration. 

Miss Laura Bell, 
At Home 
Autumn Party October 5 

8 till 11 o'clock. 

Decorate the room with autumn leaves, 
of course. The entire wall may be covered 
with beautiful branches of these tacked close 
together. Hardy garden chrysanthemums in 
bowls and vases, even in pails, can be used 
around the room, or it can be converted into 
an autumn woodland scene by covering the 
floor with dried, rustling leaves. Scatter 
chestnuts among the leaves and let one 
pastime be a Chestnut Hunt, each guest 
searching alone, or two together with a bas- 
ket between them. Have a drawing game, 
where each is given the name of some tree, 
the leaf of which he is to draw; and have 
a book on trees as the prize for the best draw- 
ing. Tack up a branch of a tree over the 
door or in other convenient place, with a 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 175 

chestnut burr lodged in the fork of the bough, 
and then see who can dislodge the burr by 
throwing, a ball at it ; each one is given three 
chances. If you wish, the girls could tlirow 
with the right hand, and the boys with the 
left. 

The refreshments at this party might be 
brought on the scene in a picnic basket and 
eaten from a cloth spread on the floor. 

A SNOW SOCIAL 

A winter frolic which can be made ex- 
tremely pretty and picturesque in addition 
to being good fun is an indoor snow party in 
which everything — decorations, games, re- 
freshments — suggests the reign of the Frost 
King established out of doors. 

The holiday greenery, if it is still in posi- 
tion, will make a charming background. 
Fleck it with tissue paper snow and silver 
paper hoar frost. Tissue paper bunting in 
white will heighten the wintry effect. Cover 
the carpet with old sheets and sprinkle with 
silver dust. Holiday cards having "frosted" 



176 GAMES AND PARTIES 

decoration are delightful for the invitations, 
which are written on the blank side. Here 
is a charming form which will carry out the 
idea in rhyme : 

Now that wintry winds do blow 
Come and frolic in the snow 
Friday afternoon with me 
At the hour of half -past three. 
Cold we'll look, but warm we'll be. 
Lest that you misunderstand, 
'T is indoors my fun is planned. 
Yet the snow, the white, white snow 
Where'er you look, where'er you go. 

Miss Dorothy Blair, 

43 Blank St. Snow Party, 

January 7. 

While the guests are arriving, pass a dish 
containing snowflakes, inviting each person 
to have some. The flakes are nothing more 
or less than sugared popcorn which, heaped 
high in the dish, is very snowlike and effective. 

If there is time for it, wee cornucopias can 
be made of cardboard covered with white 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 177 

tissue paper and silver tinsel and distributed 
for holding the popcorn. 

For another round, dot wee bits of cotton 
batting snow all round the parlor — over 
carpet, furniture, mantelpiece, piano top. 
Give each person a tiny pail of doll-house 
size, which may be obtained for a penny in 
any toy shop. Distribute at the same time 
oyster forks, one to each person. When 
the signal, which may be the dropping of a 
handkerchief, is given, players hasten to be- 
gin gathering up the snow, which feat is 
accomplished with the oyster forks. 

The boy or girl who first brings the hostess 
a well-filled pail is prize winner. Or, if de- 
-sired, the prize might be awarded at the end 
of a certain time limit for the pail appearing 
fullest. A calendar with snow scene dec- 
oration would make a suitable gift. A pleas- 
ant sit-down game is easily arranged for as 
follows : Take a number of squares of white 
paper and on each write some portion of a 
proverb, say one or two words, if short ; two, 
three, or four if the saying is a long one. 



178 GAMES AND PARTIES 

Crumple the paper in the palra of the hand 
to make it resemble snow and heap the dif- 
ferent flakes in the center of the table. 

All players sit in a circle around the table 
and by dipping flakes from the snow pile try 
to form complete proverbs. Any one com- 
pleting a proverb calls it out in full, and it is 
then, if correct, of course, marked up to his 
credit. The player forming most during the 
gradual melting away of the snow wins a 
prize. This might be a book of quotations 
and proverbial sayings, wrapped in white 
paper tied with silver cord. 

A lively runabout game will be enjoyed 
after this mental exercise. For this have a 
box or basket of white confetti simulating 
snow, which can be bought in a shop or made 
at home according to preference. Each player 
in turn must take a large wooden spoon, dip 
it into the snow and run holding the spoon so 
filled twice around the room. The player who 
spills least in his or her course is prize winner. 

Get also a dozen or more of the white 
peppermint sticks which, with the aid of a 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 179 

little imagination, can become icicles. Stretch 
a silver tinsel cord across the room and tie 
the white icicles to it with white or silver 
ribbon. Blindfold the guests one at a time 
and have them try to cut down a candy 
stick apiece. The time limit should be two 
minutes, and all who succeed in securing 
icicles are eligible to draw for a prize. Another 
way to play this game is to hide the sticks 
around the room and award a prize to be 
drawn for by all who find them. 

Or make a snowball by tucking away in a 
gigantic ball of white tape a number of little 
gifts, one for each member of the party. The 
person first to receive the ball tells a story, 
continuing the recital while he unwinds the 
thread. The gift first discovered belongs to 
him. 

As soon as his treasure has been unearthed, 
player Number 2 catches up the narrative 
where it was suddenly discontinued and goes 
on with the unwinding of the thread. The 
second gift appertains to this player. The 
fun is carried along in this way, each member 



180 GAMES AND PARTIES 

of the party adding to the tale, until all the 
presents have been captured. It is very 
exciting and amusing, as each one's wits have 
to be on the jump to pick up the thread of 
the tale when his turn comes to take up the 
ball. 

Then have a counting-out game, in which 
all sit in a circle, and when the signal is given, 
each boy or girl in turn must name something 
white, as cloud, ivory, foam, lily, soap, chalk, 
lime, wool, and so forth. Any one who can- 
not think of something white drops out of 
the circle, and the fun continues until but one 
remains. This player, of course, receives a 
snow-white prize. A grown person is umpire 
to decide whether the different things named 
will pass muster. 

Snow crystals, cut from thin white card- 
board and about the size of the hand, can be 
used as the basis of another frolic. Have 
each crystal different, of course, of some 
pretty geometrical shape, and cut it in half. 
Hide the different halves somewhere around 
the room and have all search for them. 



PARTIES FOR ANY DATE 181 

Tlie two players first to find matching halves 
receive prizes. Or you can use pictures of 
snow scenes in the same way. 

For a party table a snowball made of 
white flowers on a bed of green makes an 
effective centerpiece. Any florist can fashion 
one from white blooms made over a wire frame. 
Tablecloth and china must be white, with 
silver shades for the candles. Have snow- 
balls, made by rolling round cakes, which have 
just been iced in shredded cocoanut, served 
with the ice cream. 



CHAPTER VI 
THE ETIQUETTE OF PARTIES 

Some one has well said that real etiquette 
is merely putting the Golden Rule into 
practice and doing to others as you would 
be done by. Certainly this is true and is an 
excellent explanation of kind little rules and 
regulations, such as answering invitations 
quickly and clearly when we are to be guests, 
and welcoming the guest cordially and kindly 
when we act as host or hostess. 

The rules of good breeding in this particular 
are neither long nor difficult, and as it always 
adds to one's enjoyment to be sure that the 
proper thing was just what one did and said, 
the important rules are added here that 
the children may read them over and so be 
sure of themselves when they are giving or 
going to a party. 



THE ETIQUETTE OF PARTIES 183 

1. Answer invitations clearly and promptly. 
It is a good rule to write your answer as much 
as possible in the style in which the invita- 
tion was written. Of course, however, if 
you receive an invitation in rhyme, of which 
many examples are given in this book, you 
may answer in prose, but let the prose be 
natural and bright and pleasant as the in- 
vitation is. If the invitation is from a little 
boy or girl who is your friend, you may answer 
it informally in this way : 

Dear Eleanor, 

It was very kind of you to invite me to 
your birthday party on Thursday the Eigh- 
teenth, and I shall be very glad to be with 
you on that date. Hoping that you may 
have good weather for your party I am. 

Affectionately, 

Lucile. 

If on the other hand you cannot accept, 
it would be nice to mention the reason why 
you cannot do so. For of course you would 
reply to the invitation as soon as possible 



184 GAMES AND PARTIES 

after receiving it and decline just as prettily 
as if you accepted. The reason or excuse 
will be different in every case, but this form 
will give you an idea how to decline an in- 
vitation gracefully and kindly. 

My Dear Elizabeth, 

It was dear of you to ask me to meet your 
cousin, and I should love to do so, but un- 
fortunately I have an appointment to go to 
the matinee with Aunt Kate on the very 
afternoon of your party. It was made long 
in advance, and so I will not be able to be 
with you on that date. Wishing you a lovely 

time I am, 

Sincerely your friend, 

Esther Allen. 

If, on the contrary, you are hostess and are 
issuing invitations for a party, be sure to 
write them very clearly, telling the date, 
hour, and place, so that there will be no 
mistake. A good form which could be used 
for almost any kind of party would be 
this : 



THE ETIQUETTE OF PARTIES 185 

Dear Herbert, 

On Thursday Evening, April 9, I am 
going to have a crowd of the boys and girls 
here at my home to celebrate (insert reason 
for the party). I hope you can be one of us, 
for we would all love to have you. Send me 
a line to say if I may expect you, and if 
possible let your answer be 'y^s-' 

Yours affectionately, 

Sam. 

Now let us imagine that you, dear reader, 
have just reached the house where you are 
to be a welcome guest. Try not to be shy 
or stiff, for both of these awkward manner- 
isms are habits and must be forced to the wall. 
Be cheerful without being too noisy or talk- 
ing too loudly when you arrive; if there 
is some one in the hall to point the way 
to the cloak room, proceed at once to this 
room and there remove your hat and wrap, 
laying everything together in a tidy pile, 
unless the maid takes charge of them for 
you. 



186 GAMES AND PARTIES 

Sometimes, at an informal party, the little 
girl or boy giving the entertainment or the 
mother is at the door to welcome all who ar- 
rive. In such a case you would, of course, 
look first towards your hostess, shaking hands 
with her and exchanging a few pleasant words 
before proceeding up-stairs. 

If you do not see your hostess before en- 
tering the room where the guests are as- 
sembled, go up to her at once and shake hands, 
before greeting other guests. 

Resolve to have a splendid time. Try 
also to help others to have a delightful after- 
noon or evening. 

If you see any one else who is playing "wall- 
flower" and is neglected, make a point of 
speaking to this boy or girl and try to draw 
another merrymaker into the fun. 

If anything of the nature of a little accident 
occurs which can be laughed away, make 
light of it or do not notice it. Do not let 
an accident stop a game. 

Don't let any one draw you into a quarrel. 
Ill-bred people will sometimes be found at 



THE ETIQUETTE OF PARTIES 187 

the merriest party, but if their ill humor is 
ignored, they soon come to themselves. 

Do not romp, however lively the game is, in 
such a way that ornaments, carpet, or fur- 
niture might come to harm. It is possible 
always to be full of fun and yet gentle and re- 
fined. Roughness in a boy or girl at a party 
is soon noticed and (even if higher reasons 
were lacking) it will in time prevent other 
boys and girls from asking you. 

Before going, shake hands with your hostess 
and say good night, and tell her that you have 
had a very pleasant time. 



INDEX 



Anagrams, 87. 
Another Gesture Game, 76, 
Another Tug, 13. 
Auction Catalogue, 86. 
Aunt Jemima's Trunk, 92. 
Author and Illustrator, 83. 
Autograph Collecting, 85. 
Autumn Party, An, 173. 

Bang ! 8. 

Blind Breakfast, 65. 
Box Social, A, 159. 
Boys' Needle Race, 57. 
Bubble Stunts, 61. 
Bucket Brigade, The, 78. 

Captain, My Captain, 49. 
Cat and Mouse, 17. 
Change Places, 46. 
Charaded Proverbs, 95. 
Children's New Year Frolic, 99. 
Christmas Tree Party, A, 138. 
Clap In, Clap Out, 39. 
Clumps, 90. 
Cock Fight, A, 58. 
Comic Card Race, 74. 
Compounding Tag, 83. 
Cooky Valentines, 107. 
Copenhagen, 26. 
Cork Fisherman, 15. 
Cranberry Party, A, 114. 
Crossing the Stream, 44. 
Crowing Hen, The, 35. 



Dixie Party, A, 113. 
Do As I Do, 67. 
Doll's "At Home ", A, 168. 
Duck on a Rock, 27. 

"Easter Opening" Party, An, 

119. 
Ells of Cloth, 23. 

Fairyland Garden Party, A, 

148. 
Family Reunion, A, 162. 
Firecracker Party for Inde- 

» pendence Day, 126. 
Fisherman, 70. 
Fishing Story, A, 62. 
Flying Handkerchief, The, 14. 
Four Families, The, 54. 
Fox in his Den, 49. 
French Blindman, 30. 

Garden Scamp, The, 42. 
Geography in Haste, 45. 
Gestures, 76. 
Going to Jerusalem, 37. 
Good Advice or Bad Advice, 
85. 

Hearty Laugh, A, 16. 
Hold Fast and Let Go, 4. 
Holidays, The, 5. 
Hot Butter, Blue Beans, 41. 
Hunter, The, 6. 



189 



190 



INDEX 



I Love my Love, 97. 
Indoor Track Meet, 157. 

Japanese Tag, 48. 
Jungle, The, 44. 

King's Orders, The, 53. 

Lawyer, The, 25. 
Lincoln's Birthday Dinner, A, 
102. 

Mackintosh Race, The, 56. 
Magic Music, 88. 
Mary and John, 32. 
Memorial Day, 123. 
Merrymaking for the Toddlers 

at Christmas, 145. 
Mimic Club, 51. 
Minister's Cat, The, 98. 
Moon and Stars, 47. 
Mottoes, 34. 
Musical Nut Hunt, 67. 
My Lady's Toilet, 43. 
My Neighbor, His Biography, 

85. 

Neighbor, Neighbor, 19. 
News, 9. 

No Eyes Game, The, 77. 
Novel Rainbow Party, A, 152. 



Cranberry, 114. 

Dixie, 113. 

Easter Opening, 119. 

Fairyland Garden, 148. 

Family Reunion, 162. 

Firecracker, 126. 

Indoor Track Meet, 157. 

Japanese, 165. 

Lincoln's Birthday, 102. 

Memorial Day, 123. 

Merrymaking at Christmas, 
145. 

New Year, 99. 

Rainbow, 152. 

Seventeenth of March, 116. 

Sewing Club, 172. 

Snow Social, 175. 

Spook, 156. 

St. Nicholas, 141. 

Turkey Social, 135. 

Unsentimental Hallowe'en, 
129. 
Party for the Seventeenth of 

March, 116. 
Peanut Frolic, A, 170. 
Perpetual Motion, 20. 
Poor Old Soldier, 50. 
Post, The, 2. 
Potato Race, 72. 
Powder Wands, The, 66. 
Pull In, Pull Out, 12. 



Observation, 3. 
One Hundred, 29. 
Orchestra, 21. 

Other Pastimes for Hallowe'en, 
132. 

Pad and Pencil Contests, 75. 
Parties : 

Autumn, 173. 

Box Social, 159. 

Christmas Tree, 138. 



Quotation Alphabet, 91. 

Races : 

Boys' Needle, 57. 

Comic Card, 74. 

Mackintosh, 56. 

Potato, 72. 
Railroad, The, 22. 
Ribbon's End, 9. 
Riddle Bee, 82. 
Rubber Ball Stunt. A. 59. 



INDEX 



191 



Runabout Games, 71. 
Ruth and Jacob, 38. 

Sea is Troubled, The, 11. 

Secret Tag, 48. 

Seven Steps, 31. 

Shadow Secrets, 89. 

Shouters' Sociable, The, 51. 

Simon Says, 33. 

Simple Party in Japanese Style, 

A, 165. 
Snow Social, A, 175. 
Social Day of Your Sewing Club, 

The, 172. 
Spook Party, A, 156. 
Squaring the Circle, 70. 
St. Nicholas Party, A, 141. 

Tag: 

Compounding, 83. 
Japanese, 48. 
Secret, 48. 
Teapot, 94. 



Thought Transference, 69. 
Three Lives, 96. 
Toe-the-Mark, 84. 
To Find Partners, 60. 
Tommy Tiddler's Land, 39. 
Touch the Third, 27. 
Turkey Social, A, 135. 
Twirling the Cap, 16. 



Unsentimental 

An, 129. 
Up Jenkins, 80. 



Hallowe'en, 



Warning, 14. 

War of Wands, 13. 

Washington's Birthday, 107. 

Weathercocks, The, 10. 

Whirlwind, 18. 

"With All My Heart", 104. 

Who's Who, 31. 

Your Birthplace, 93. 



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